Dapagliflozin: Benefits in Heart Failure Patients With and Without Diabetes
A study published in September 2019 in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that patients HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) receiving dapagliflozin decreased their risk of worsening HF or death from cardiovascular causes.
In 2013, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors burst onto the scene and quickly earned the title of blockbuster medications. After its 2014 approval, dapagliflozin topped $1 billion in annual revenue in just 3 years.
The new wave of antihyperglycemic medications showed promise as an adjunctive treatment to help patients with type 2 diabetes control blood sugar and reign in their A1c.
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Early on in clinical trials, researchers observed dapagliflozin reduced incidence of new heart failure (HF). This sparked research into whether SGLT2 inhibitors have glucose independent mechanisms for improving patient outcomes.
Now a study published in September 2019 in the
has found that patients HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) receiving dapagliflozin decreased their risk of worsening HF or death from cardiovascular causes.
These benefits were observed in all patients regardless of diabetes status.
New England Journal of Medicine2
The phase 3 placebo-controlled clinical trial randomized 4744 patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class 1, 3, or 4 HF and reduced ejection fraction of less than 40%. The patient population was split with 45% of patients with type 2 diabetes and 55% without the disease. Patients received either dapagliflozin 10 mg once daily or placebo in addition to standard of care. A composite of worsening HF or cardiovascular death was the primary outcome.
Read the full article onPharmacy Times.
