The prevalence of diabetes continues to increase worldwide. Traditionally, diabetes in its adult form has not been considered a serious life-threatening disease. This attitude needs to be changed because the complications asso ciated with the adult form of diabetes affect almost every organ system. The high morbidity and mortality of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) suggest that current treatment strategies are unsatisfactory. We therefore face an urgent need for new therapeutic approaches. When the first Handbook 0/ Oral Antidiabetics was edited by H. Maske in 1971, the risks and benefits associated with the use of oral antidiabetics were still under discussion. Nowadays, oral antidiabetics hold a strong posi tion in the long-term treatment of diabetes. Roughly 30% -50% of the patients with diabetes in Europe and the United States are treated with oral antidiabetics, chiefly sulfonylureas. While acknowledging the value of the ß cytotropic sulfonylureas, we also need to recognize important limitations of their use, e.g., in the treatment of obese diabetic patients.
