Abstract

India has a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with unique clinical characteristics compared to other populations. Despite advancements in diabetes therapy, a significant number of patients in India still experience poor glycemic control and complications. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors continue to be an important component of T2DM treatment due to their favorable efficacy and tolerability profile. Given the current scenario, there is a need to revisit the role of DPP-4 inhibitors in T2DM management in Indian patients. This consensus paper aims to provide guidance on the utilization of DPP-4 inhibitors in T2DM management from an Indian perspective. A consensus group of 100 experts developed recommendations based on an extensive literature review and discussions. The expert group emphasized the importance of timely glycemic control, combination therapy, and targeting the underlying pathophysiology of T2DM. The combinations of DPP-4 inhibitors with metformin and/or sodium-glucose transport protein-2 inhibitors are rationalized in this paper, considering their complementary mechanisms of action. This paper provides valuable insights for clinicians in optimizing the management of T2DM in the Indian population with the use of DPP-4 inhibitors and proposes an algorithm for selecting DPP-4 inhibitor-based therapies.