[INTRODUCTION - Sulfonylureas have become sidelined as second-line preparations as their use has been associated with an increased occurrence of weight gain and hypoglykaemia. In the case reported, however, therapeutic goals have been achieved with the use of gliclazid. CASE REPORT - A 45-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus was using a metformin XR preparation. His HbA1c level was high and his main complaint was distention. His abdominal complaint was also obstructing his diet. Because of the high HbA1c level and overweight I initiated incretin-mimetic treatment. Due to the worsening of abdominal complaints I replaced the treatment with gliclazid, after thoroughly informing the patient. With gliclazid treatment the patient's abdominal complaints subdued, he was able to maintain his diet, lost 14 kg in three months and the parameters of his carbohydrate metabolism normalised. CONCLUSION - In case of abdominal complaints, a repeated anamnesis of the diet can reveal metformin intolerance. In such cases, the use of gliclazid can lead to therapeutic success with no gastrointestinal adverse effects.]

[Menopause and pregnancy are especially vulnerable periods of women’s life regarding hypertension. The “Guidelines for the Management of Arterial Hypertension”, issued by the European Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Cardiology, dedicates a separate chapter to hypertension in women. The renewed guidelines of the Hungarian Society of Hypertension also pays a special attention to hypertension detected during pregnancy. In this article, the euthors review the topics of hypertension detected during menopause and pregnancy, discussing pathomechanism and therapy.]

[Administration of the alpha-glucosidase enzyme inhibitor acarbose leads to a prolonged absorption of carbohydrates, which has a smoothing effect on blood glucose excursions, and results in a more even daily blood glucose profile. The glucose lowering effect is mainly due to the reduction of postprandial blood glucose levels. Non-glycaemic effects of acarbose, including those on blood pressure, lipids and the coagulation system are also clearly beneficial. According to the available data, the preparation also reduces cardiovascular risk. If used as a monotherapy, acarbose does not cause hypoglycaemia. Flatulence and diaorrhea represent the main side effects. From a professional point of view, acarbose should be given if postprandial blood glucose excursions exceed 2.2 mmol/l.]

[The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus has recently dramatically increased worldwide. While many factors contribute to the startling data, including changes in the diagnostic criteria of glucose intolerance, increase of life expectancy, manifestation of diabetes at younger ages, and increased detection of unrecognized diabetes due to more efficient screening, the genuine, steep rise in the incidence of diabetes is explained by the increasing prevalence of obesity. Among the late complications of both diabetes and obesity, cardiovascular diseases are particularly important. Insulin resistance due to visceral obesity plays a central role in the pathomechanism of type 2 diabetes. In the prevention of both type 2 diabetes and obesity, non-pharmacological intervention such as life style changes should be considered first. Supplementary pharmacological treatment should target all cardiovascular risk factors.]

[This review describes the function and tissuespecific expression of the 11- and 17-beta-hydroxysteroid- dehydrogenase enzyme families as well as the aromatase and 1-alpha-hydroxylase enzymes. Recently, in situ formation of active steroids by these enzymes at the sites of their actions from biologically inactive precursors in the circulation have been demonstrated to play an important role in sex steroid-dependent neoplasms (such as breast and prostate cancer), and in some metabolic diseases (such as obesity, osteoporosis and insulin resistance). Tissuespecific Cushing syndrome (local hypercortisolism) may contribute to the pathogenesis of the latter group of diseases, suggesting that obesity may be considered the Cushing-syndrome of the omentum and that osteoporosis is the obesity of bone. Intracrinology is the science of alterations in tissue hormone synthesis catalysed by enzymes such as those mentioned above, which cannot be detected by measuring circulating hormone levels. The effects of local hormone production differ from those of the well-described autocrine, paracrine and endocrine actions. Based on the hormonal changes within various tissues, the pathogenesis of a number of diseases may be interpreted in a novel way.]