Sitagliptin as an Add-on Therapy to Other Glucose-lowering Agents in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Narrative Review.

The burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing in India, with increasing mortality and morbidity. In India, T2DM management is complicated by the presence of distinct clinical characteristics as well as certain socioeconomic factors of the patient population. These factors affect glycemic control and lead to poorer outcomes, necessitating the use of add-on treatments with safer medications, which can be used over the long term with minimal follow-up. Sitagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor that inhibits the activity of DPP-4, a peptidase that degrades glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a glucoregulatory hormone. Sitagliptin enhances glucoregulation in people with T2DM as monotherapy, as well as in combination with other antihyperglycemic drugs, and has a low risk of adverse side effects. This review focuses on assessing the efficacy and safety of sitagliptin as an add-on therapy to other antidiabetic agents and insulin.