In a nutshell
This study looked at the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and heart disease treated with empagliflozin (Jardiance). They found that empagliflozin reduced the total risk of heart attack, stroke, or death in these patients.
Some background
Patients with T2D and coronary artery disease (CAD) are at very high risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). MACE is an umbrella term that covers heart attack, stroke, and death due to heart disease.
Empagliflozin is a glucose-lowering medication that reduces blood sugar by increasing the amount of sugar that is excreted in the urine. It is a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor. Previous studies have shown that SGLT2 inhibitors may decrease heart-related complications in patients with T2D. However, the effect of empagliflozin on the occurrence of heart attacks, strokes, or death in patients with T2D and CAD is still not clear.
Methods & findings
7.020 patients with T2DM and CAD participated in this study. Patients were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 (2,345 patients) were treated with empagliflozin 10 mg. Group 2 (2,342 patients) were treated with empagliflozin 25 mg. Group 3 (2,333 patients) were treated with a placebo. Patients were treated for an average of 2.6 years and followed up for an average of 3.2 years.
Empagliflozin treatment reduced the risk of a first MACE by 14% and of first and second MACE by 22% compared to placebo. Both doses of empagliflozin reduced the risk of total MACE compared to placebo.
The bottom line
This study showed that empagliflozin reduces the risk of MACE in patients with T2D and CAD.
The fine print
This study was funded by Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly Alliance, the manufacturers of empagliflozin.
Published By :
The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology
Date :
Dec 22, 2020
