Scientists from the University of East Anglia found a medication originally used for patients with diabetes is the first to help people with heart failure and could revolutionize treatment.
There are two types of heart failure. Heart Failure with a reduction in ejection fraction happens when the heart is unable to pump blood around the body due to a mechanical issue.
And heart failure with preserved ejection fraction happens when, despite the heart pumping out blood well, it is not sufficient to provide oxygen to all the parts of the body.
Patients are equally split between the two types of heart failure.
Early research had shown that Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors could help around half of heart failure patients—those with a condition known as reduction ejection fraction.
In the current study, the team found that the medication could be beneficial for all heart failure patients—including those with the second type of heart failure.
It is the first drug to provide a real benefit in terms of improving outcomes for these patients. And the research team says that it will revolutionize treatment options.
SGLT2 inhibitors are more commonly known under their trade-names Forxiga (Dapagliflozin), Invokana (Canagliflozin), and Jardiance (Empagliflozin).
In the study, the research team undertook a meta-analysis of all studies published in the field and brought together data from almost 10,000 patients.
They found that patients taking SGLT2 inhibitors were 22 percent less likely to die from heart-related causes or be hospitalized for heart failure exacerbation than those taking placebo.
This is very important because this is the first medication that can provide a benefit to this previously untreatable group of patients—in terms of heart-related deaths or hospitalization.
This is the first medication that can really improve the outcomes for this patient group and it will revolutionize the treatment offered to heart failure patients.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how to prevent heart attack in people with diabetes, and what to eat if you have a heart rhythm problem.
For more information about stroke, please see recent studies about how to reverse heart failure with diet, and vitamin C may help treat heart rhythm problems.
The research was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology and conducted by Prof Vass Vassiliou et al.
Copyright © 2022 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
