Research

Hormonal

PPARγ agonist pioglitazone significantly reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events (stroke and myocardial infarction) in patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, including those with prediabetes.

If you have type 2 diabetes and are at high risk for heart issues, ask your doctor about pioglitazone. It has been shown in multiple studies to significantly lower the risk of stroke and heart attack, even in people with prediabetes. While it can cause side effects like weight gain or swelling, the cardiovascular protection it offers is substantial for high-risk individuals.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
a recent meta-analyses of ten randomized control trials (RCTs) reinforced the finding that the treatment with pioglitazone can lower the risk for major cardiovascular events by approximately 26% [108]. ... the IRIS trial discovered that the cardioprotective effect of pioglitazone was considerable even in prediabetes patients, whereby a 24% risk reduction in stroke and myocardial infarction was observed among those treated with pioglitazone compared to placebo [96].
Hong Sheng Cheng et al. · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2019

Why this rating

Supported by a meta-analysis of 10 RCTs and a specific large-scale trial (IRIS), indicating high-quality clinical evidence.

Source

Exploration and Development of PPAR Modulators in Health and Disease: An Update of Clinical Evidence

Hong Sheng Cheng et al. · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2019

DOI 10.3390/ijms20205055

narrative_reviewCited 257×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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