A drug originally used for patients with diabetes. It is the first to help people with heart failure and could revolutionize treatment, according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
It is the first drug that provides a real benefit
Early research had shown sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. They could help about half of heart failure patients, those with a condition known as reduced ejection fraction.
But new findings published today show that the drug could be beneficial for all heart failure patients. Including those with a second type of heart failure called a preserved ejection fraction.
It is the first drug that provides a real benefit in terms of improving outcomes for these patients. And the research team says it will revolutionize treatment options.
For many years there was no single drug that could improve patient outcomes
Lead Investigator Professor Vass Vassiliou, UEA Norwich School of Medicine and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. He said: “Heart failure is a condition in which the heart does not pump as well as it should and affects about a million people.
“There are two types of heart failure. Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction occurs when the heart cannot pump blood through the body due to a mechanical problem. And heart failure with preserved ejection fraction occurs when. Although the heart pumps out blood well, it is not enough to provide oxygen to all parts of the body.
“Patients are equally divided between the two types of heart failure”
“For many years there was not a single drug that could improve the outcome in patients with the second type of heart failure. Patients with preserved ejection fraction.
“This type of heart failure had baffled the doctors. Since all the drugs tested did not show any benefit.
“A class of heart medications, called SGLT2 inhibitors, was initially used for patients with diabetes. However, it was noted that it also helped patients who had heart failure.
“Previous studies had shown that this drug would be beneficial in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.
“But we found that it can also help heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction.”
This is the first drug that can really improve results
SGLT2 inhibitors are more commonly known by their trade names Forxiga (Dapagliflozin), Invokana (Canagliflozin), and Jardiance (Empagliflozin).
The research team conducted a meta-analysis of all published studies in the field and collected data from almost 10,000 patients. They used statistical models to show the specific effect of these drugs.
Professor Vassiliou said: “We found that patients taking SGLT2 inhibitors were 22% less likely to die. This, for causes related to the heart or being hospitalized for an exacerbation of heart failure than those taking placebo.
“This is very important because it is the first drug that can provide a benefit to this previously intractable group of patients. In terms of heart-related deaths or hospitalizations.
“This is the first drug that can really improve outcomes for this group of patients and it will revolutionize the treatment offered to patients with heart failure,” he added.
This study was led by UEA researchers in collaboration with Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Imperial College London and Imperial College NHS Trust and Cambridge University Hospitals.
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