Abstract

A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF ANTIDIABETIC DRUG’S SAFETY PROFILE USING WHO – UMC SCALE

*Aryan Srivastava, Surabhi Dwivedi, Asheesh Pratap Singh

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that requires long-term pharmacological management to achieve optimal glycemic control and prevent complications. The expanding range of antidiabetic medications, including insulin preparations and oral as well as injectable antihyperglycemic agents, has significantly improved therapeutic outcomes. However, the increasing use of these drugs has also raised concerns regarding their safety profiles and the occurrence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). This review provides a comprehensive overview of the safety profile of antidiabetic drugs using the World Health Organization–Uppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO–UMC) causality assessment scale. The WHO–UMC scale is a globally recognized tool for evaluating the relationship between suspected ADRs and drug exposure by categorizing reactions as certain, probable, possible, unlikely, conditional, or unassessable. The review summarizes reported ADRs associated with major classes of antidiabetic agents, including biguanides, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and insulin. Emphasis is placed on causality assessment, patterns of drug-related adverse events, and the role of pharmacovigilance in improving patient safety. Understanding the safety characteristics of antidiabetic therapies through standardized causality assessment can support evidence-based prescribing, early detection of ADRs, and enhanced clinical decision-making in diabetes management.

Keywords: Antidiabetic drugs, Antihyperglycemic agent, Patient compliance, Pharmacovigilance, Adverse drug reactions, Metabolic disorder, etc.