The cardiovascular safety of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (gliptins) has been well studied. Favourable effects of these oral antidiabetic agents have been reported in meta-analyses of phase II-III randomised controlled trials. Three large prospective trials, which were specifically designed to investigate cardiovascular safety, showed non-inferiority of saxagliptin (SAVOR-TIMI 53), alogliptin (EXA-MINE) and sitagliptin (TECOS) versus placebo as far as major cardiovascular events are concerned, including mortality. The suspected increase in the rate of hospitalisation due to congestive heart failure reported in SAVOR-TIMI 53 was neither found in EXAMINE nor recently confirmed in TECOS. Direct comparative trials, evaluating not only safety but also efficacy, with other oral antidiabetic medications would be of major interest.