Diabetes drugs may revolutionize the treatment of heart failure

According to a new study from the University of East Anglia, a drug originally used for diabetic patients is the first drug to help patients with heart failure and may lead to revolutionary treatments

Early research suggests that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors can help about half of patients with heart failure—those with reduced ejection fraction

But the new findings published today indicate that this drug may be beneficial for all patients with heart failure, including those with a second type of heart failure, called preserved ejection fraction

This is the first drug that can really improve the prognosis of these patients

The principal investigator of the Norwich School of Medicine at the University of East Anglia, Professor Vas Vasilio, is an honorary consultant cardiologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals.

"There are two types of heart failure

"The proportions of patients with both types of heart failure are comparable

"For many years, there has not been a single drug that can improve the results of patients with type 2 heart failure-those with preserved ejection fraction

This type of heart failure confuses doctors because every drug tested has no effect

A heart drug called an SGLT2 inhibitor was originally used for diabetic patients

"Previous research has shown that this drug is beneficial for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

"But we found that it can also help patients with heart failure who preserve ejection fraction

SGLT2 inhibitors are generally known by their trade names Forxiga (Dapagliflozin), Invokana (Canagliflozin) and Jardiance (Empagliflozin)

The research team conducted a meta-analysis of all studies published in this field and collected data on nearly 10,000 patients

Professor Vasilio said: "We found that compared with patients taking placebo, patients taking SGLT2 inhibitors were 22% less likely to die from heart-related causes or to be hospitalized due to worsening heart failure

"This is very important because this is the first drug that can provide benefits for these previously untreatable patients-in heart-related deaths or hospitalizations

He added: "This is the first drug that can really improve the results of this patient population, and it will revolutionize the treatment of patients with heart failure
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