SGLT-2 medicines reduce risk of heart failure: AstraZeneca

More than 300,000 patients with type-2 diabetes who were treated with SGLT-2 inhibitors, showed that all-cause mortality was reduced by 51 per cent and risk of hospitalisation for heart failure by 39 per cent, a study has revealed.
A study was conducted by bio-pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca.
The study assessed data of more than 300,000 patients across six countries, 87 per cent of whom did not have a history of cardiovascular disease.
It showed that across this broad population of patients with T2D, treatment with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) medicines - Farxiga (dapagliflozin), canagliflozin, empagliflozin - reduced the rate of hospitalisation for heart failure by 39 per cent and death from any cause by 51 per centas compared to other T2D medicines.

For the composite endpoint of hospitalisation for heart failure and death from any cause, the reduction was 46 per cent, a company statement said here.
"The newer SGLT2i class of medicines represents a significant advancement in treatment of type 2 diabetes. This study showed significant reduction in the rate of hospitalisation and deaths associated with cardiovascular diseases with the SGLT2i compared to other anti-diabetic agents.

"This data generated from a broad population of patients with type 2 diabetes exemplifies the clinical study results providing confidence to the broader physician community on the role of SGLT-2i class in diabetes care," AstraZeneca India, Head of Medical Affairs Anilda D'souza said.

Bruce Cooper, MD, Vice President and Head of Global
Medical Affairs at AstraZeneca, said, "Diabetes is a growing epidemic worldwide, which is associated with significant comorbidities that contribute to an increased risk of costly hospitalisation and even death.
"Real-world data from this study provides striking evidence that the newer SGLT-2i class of medicines cuts the rate of hospitalisation for heart failure and death by approximately half."
The hospitalisation for heart failure analysis was conducted using anonymised patient data from Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States.
Of the data reviewed, 41.8 per cent of patients were on Farxiga (dapagliflozin), 52.7 per cent on canagliflozin and 5.5 per cent on empagliflozin.

The analysis of death from any cause was conducted using anonymised patient data from the same countries.