A Study of the Effects of Hypoglycemic Agents on Vascular Complications in Patients with Adult-onset Diabetes: VI. Supplementary Report on Nonfatal Events in Patients Treated with Tolbutamide

Carefiil review of data available on patients enrolled in the University Group Diabetes Program (UGDP) led the study investigators to conclude in 1969 that the combination of diet and tolbutamide therapy was no more effective than diet alone in prolonging life and possibly less effective than diet alone or than diet and insulin insofar as cardiovascular mortality was concerned. The bases for these conclusions were presented in previous reports from the UGDP." Only limited information on nonfatal events for patients treated with tolbutamide and diet compared with patients treated with diet alone and patients treated with diet plus insulin was presented in the earlier reports from the UGDP. The purpose of this report is to summarize for these patient groups the data on nonfatal events collected at scheduled followup examinations through the follow-up examination at which tolbutamide treatment was discontinued. Particular attention has been given to the occurrence of events indicative or suggestive of cardiovascular disease in view of the excess cardiovascular mortality of approximately 1 per cent per year observed for patients treated with tolbutamide compared with patients treated with diet alone or treated with diet plus insulin.