The blood glucose and plasma insulin response to the two hypoglycemic agents, chlorpropamide
(Diabenese) and glibenclamide (Daonil) was determined in normal subjects under strict
metabolic control in a double blind study. The subjects were admitted to hospital
for the period of the study, during which time they received four isocaloric meals
per day and their physical exercise was standardised. Chlorpropamide had a prolonged
hypoglycaemic effect compared with the short lived response after glibenclamide. The
hypoglycaemic characteristics of the two preparations could not be explained simply
on the insulin responses. Chlorpropamide was capable of lowering blood glucose without
raising plasma insulin levels, whereas glibenclamide produced a prolonged and marked
increase in plasma insulin levels only to be associated with a short-lived hypoglycaemic
response. The latter suggested that a degree of insulin resistance had been produced
secondary to the early profound lowering of the blood glucose following glibenclamide.
The data indicate therefore the need for caution in extrapolating to diabetic subjects
the hypoglycaemic characteristics of an agent such as glibenclamide derived from studies
in normal subjects.
Blood Glucose - Plasma Insulin - Chlorpropamide (Diabenese) - Glibenclamide (Daonil)
