Mar 23, 2019
Vidcast: https://youtu.be/Ks1j_yT6_Gs
The drug dapagliflozin (DAP-AG-LI-FLOSIN), marketed as Farxiga (FAR-SIGA), which helps type 2 non-insulin dependent diabetics control their blood sugars, can help patients with heart failure as well.
The beneficial effect of Farxiga on heart failure has been known, but the new information from the international DECLARE-TIMI study is that the drug preferentially benefits those heart failure patients with a reduced ejection fraction of 45% or less, that is the sickest patients with the weakest heart pumping action.
Farxiga helped these patients with the weakest hearts by reducing their need for hospitalization and their likelihood of dying from any causes by 38% and reduced their deaths from cardiovascular causes by 45%. The drug also helped those with stronger hearts, but it only reduced their hospitalization and death rates by 12%.
The drug is effective for diabetics by causing the kidneys to dump excess blood sugar into the urine and out of the body. The drug’s ability to expel body metabolites and liquid may help to reduce a weakened heart’s pumping burden.
This news is exciting, since we have few weapons in the battle against congestive heart failure. The use of Farxiga may extend the lives and improve comfort for the many thousands with heart failure while helping the lucky few candidates for heart transplants make it to their surgery in the best possible condition.
Eri T. Kato, Michael G. Silverman, Ofri Mosenzon, etal. Effect of Dapagliflozin on Heart Failure and Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Circulation, 2019; DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.040130
#Heartfailure #Farxiga #dapagliflozin #diabetes #reducedejectionfraction #hearttransplant