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Current Heart Failure Reports
Published in: Current Heart Failure Reports 4/2017

01-08-2017 | Pharmacologic Therapy (W H W Tang, Section Editor)

Role of SGLT2 Inhibitors in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Heart Failure

Author: Frederik H. Verbrugge

Published in: Current Heart Failure Reports | Issue 4/2017

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review aims to summarize the evidence on cardiovascular risks and benefits of glucose-lowering drugs in diabetic patients, with a particular focus on the role of sodium-glucose transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and their promising potential as a heart failure treatment.

Recent Findings

The SGLT-2 inhibitor empagliflozin has emerged as the first glucose-lowering drug to lower cardiovascular mortality in diabetes with an unprecedented 38% relative risk reduction. In addition, empagliflozin significantly reduced the rate of heart failure admissions with 35% when compared to placebo in diabetic patients with established atherosclerosis.

Summary

SGLT-2 inhibitors should be considered as a first-line drug to achieve glycemic control in diabetic patients at high risk for cardiovascular diseases and heart failure in particular. As SGLT-2 inhibitors target different pathophysiological pathways in heart failure, they might even be considered in the broader population without diabetes, but this remains the topic of further study.
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Metadata
Title
Role of SGLT2 Inhibitors in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Heart Failure
Author
Frederik H. Verbrugge
Publication date
01-08-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Heart Failure Reports / Issue 4/2017
Print ISSN: 1546-9530
Electronic ISSN: 1546-9549
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-017-0340-1

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