Effect of chlorpropamide and gliclazide on plasminogen activator activity in vascular walls in patients with maturity onset diabetes.

The components of the fibrinolytic system were studied in patients with maturity onset diabetes, treated with chlorpropamide for three years or more. Half of the patients (7/15) were shown to have abnormally low plasminogen activator activity of the vascular walls. The patients were then shifted to gliclazide, a new sulfonylurea, and after six months all patients had a normal vascular plasminogen activator activity. At follow up after 24 and 48 months the results remained the same. The normalization of the vascular fibrinolytic defence system could not be explained by improvement of glucose control.