A new expert consensus statement issued by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) guides cardiologists in the initiation and monitoring of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in their patients with diabetes.
In the past few years, several drugs from these two classes, initially approved for their effects on blood glucose, have been shown to have important effects in reducing myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, diabetic kidney disease, and death from CVD.
“Our hope in writing this is that by helping cardiologists understand the risks and benefits of both of these classes of medications, and how to best use them, that they will feel more comfortable adding them to their therapeutic repertoire, which will help patients live longer and feel better while doing so,” said Brendan M. Everett, MD, MPH, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, writing committee cochair.
CVD remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.