Dissecting the interaction between antiviral medication and diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by elevated bloodglucose levels (hyperglycemia) due to defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both.Infectious diseases caused by various viruses can impact human health. Studies havedemonstrated that antiviral medications may be linked to the development of diabetes orthe exacerbation of existing diabetes mellitus. This mini-review aims to summarize thecurrent evidence on the effects of antiviral agents on blood glucose levels. Research hasrevealed that some antiviral drugs, such as Ribavirin, Remdesivir, Interferon-α, Lopinavir,Ritonavir, and Zidovudine, have the potential to increase the risk of developing diabetesmellitus or worsening preexisting diabetes. However, Raltegravir’s impact on diabetesmellitus remains controversial. Therefore, it is suggested that blood glucose, insulin,glutamic acid decarboxylase, and islet cell autoantibody levels be measured before andduring antiviral therapy.