Sonal Singh, MD, Department of Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Yoon K. Loke, MBBS, MD, University of East Anglia, School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice, Norwich, UK.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality among older adults with type II diabetes. The thiazolidinediones (rosiglitazone and pioglitazone) lower blood sugar levels among individuals with type II diabetes. The thiazolidinediones have favourable effects on surrogate markers of cardiovascular disease such as microalbuminuria, carotid intimal thickness, and blood pressure. Emerging evidence from recent randomized clinical trials has confirmed both that thiazolidinediones increase the risk of heart failure, and that rosiglitazone increases the risk of myocardial infarction among those with type II diabetes. Clinicians should avoid thiazolidinediones for older individuals with type II diabetes who are at risk for cardiovascular events as the negative cardiovascular effects of the thiazolidinediones outweigh any potential benefits on surrogate markers.
Key words: thiazolidinediones, pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, heart failure, myocardial infarctions.