Common diabetes drug can reduce risk of major heart issues

SGLT2 inhibitors prescribed for diabetes can reduce the risk of heart conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and heart failure compared with placebo.

Drugs known as sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are associated with a lower risk of major heart problems in patients with type 2 diabetes than dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, say, researchers. According to the study, published in the journal The BMJ, previous trials have shown that SGLT2 inhibitors can reduce the risk of heart conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and heart failure compared with placebo. But some of these trials had important limitations, making it difficult to interpret the results, and data on the effects of individual SGLT2 inhibitors on the heart are limited.

So, the research team from McGill University in Canada set out to compare the risk of cardiovascular events between SGLT2 inhibitors and DPP-4 inhibitors among adults with type 2 diabetes in a "real world" clinical practice setting. Their findings are based on healthcare data from seven Canadian provinces and the UK from 2013-18 (a total of 209,867 new users of an SGLT2 inhibitor matched to 209,867 users of a DPP-4 inhibitor).

Reduces the risk of stroke, heart attack

Major cardiovascular events (a combination of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death), as well as heart failure and death from any cause, were recorded for an average of 11 months. Compared with DPP-4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with a reduced risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death combined (11.4 events per 1000 person years vs 16.5 events per 1000 person years). Researchers say that SGLT2 inhibitors were also associated with decreased risks of individual events. Results were similar in subgroups defined by patient age, sex, past insulin use, and history of cardiovascular disease.

Long-term benefits unknown

This is an observational study and the researchers point to some limitations, such as relying on prescription data over a relatively short follow-up period. They cannot rule out the possibility that other unmeasured (confounding) factors may have affected their results. However, results were consistent across several analyses, suggesting that they withstand scrutiny. These findings suggest that SGLT2 inhibitors offer cardioprotective benefits among people with type 2 diabetes in a real-world setting, although additional studies are needed to determine if these benefits persist long term.

Heart disease risk in diabetes patients

The findings of this study are important because it can help doctors decide on the proper line of treatment for heart diseases in diabetic patients. People with diabetes are at an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure and stroke. They also have certain risk factors that increase the chances of having heart disease or stroke, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. High blood sugar levels, over time, can damage blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart. Also, the longer you have diabetes, the higher are the chances that you will develop heart disease. You may also develop heart disease at a younger age are more likely to suffer from heart disease and stroke.

(With inputs from IANS)