Published on May 3, 2026
If you or a loved one is has type 2 diabetes, you may have been prescribed a medication ending in “-gliptin,” such as sitagliptin, linagliptin, or saxagliptin. This class of drugs, called DPP-4 inhibitors, offers a safe and convenient way to maintain healthy blood sugar levels without many of the side effects seen in older diabetes treatments.
What are DPP-4 inhibitors?
DPP-4 inhibitors are oral medications used primarily to treat type 2 diabetes in adults. In the United States, common options include sitagliptin, linagliptin, saxagliptin and alogliptin. Others such as vildagliptin and teneligliptin, are widely used in Europe and Asia but are not yet approved in the US. Here is some general information about these medicines:
DPP-4 inhibitors reduce blood levels when they are above normal levels such as after eating. They usually do not reduce the glucose levels below normal when used alone and therefore may be safer than drugs such as glyburide and gliclazide.
They do not result in either weight gain or weight loss.
They are available as tablets to take orally, often once a day. They therefore have an advantage over some of the newer anti-diabetes drugs that have to be taken by injection.
While generally safe, they could result in adverse events such as headaches, cold-like symptoms or mild stomach upset. There have been rare reports of severe joint pain or pancreatitis.
Your doctor will choose a specific gliptin based on your overall health. For example, drugs such as sitagliptin, saxagliptin, alogliptin may be avoided in case the patient suffers from kidney function abnormalities. Linagliptin is often preferred in such patients.
Reference:
Gallwitz, B. (2019). Clinical Use of DPP-4 Inhibitors. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 10, 389. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00389
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