SGLT-2 Inhibitors Significantly Reduced Risk for CVD in Diabetes Patients

New data released at the 2018 ACC Scientific Session confirmed that use of SGLT-2 inhibitors among patients with type-2 diabetes significantly decreases risk for cardiovascular death.

The findings, based on results from the CVD-REAL study, examined six different SGLT-2 inhibitors, including Farxiga (dapagliflozin; Astrazeneca), Jardiance (empagliflozin; Boehringer Ingelheim), Suglat (ipragliflozin; Astellas/Kotobuki), Invokana (canagliflozin; Janssen), tofogliflozin, and luseogliflozin. A majority of the study patients (75%) received Farxiga.

“The significance and consistency of these latest results… are encouraging for the clinical community,” Elisabeth Björk, Vice President, Head of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, Global Medicines Development at AstraZeneca, said in a press release. “With the majority of patients in this latest analysis being treated with Farxiga, these results suggest there is a strong association of CV benefits with the use of Farxiga across diverse patient ethnic and racial demographics.”

The researchers studied more than 400,000 patients with type-2 diabetes. Among these patients, only 26% had previous history of cardiovascular disease. 

Study results showed that diabetes patients treated with SGLT-2 inhibitors had a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular events. Researchers found that use of SGLT-2 inhibitors was associated with a 49% reduction in risk of all-cause death, 36% reduction in risk of hospitalization for heart failure, a 19% reduction in risk for myocardial infarction, and a 32% reduction in stroke risk, when compared with patients taking other diabetes medications. 

A similar study, based on the CANVAS Program study of 10,142 participants with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk, found that use of Invokana among these patients also improved heart failure related outcomes.

“This new analysis from the CANVAS Program demonstrates that [Invokana] reduced the risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure,” Javed Butler, MD, MPH, Chairman of Medicine at University of Mississippi, said in a related press release. “These results add to the body of evidence suggesting that Invokana has clinical benefit in patients with type 2 diabetes who are also at risk for some of the major cardiovascular complications.”