Dapagliflozin, a drug originally designed for type 2 diabetes, reduces hospital stays and speeds recovery in patients with acute heart failure.
- Dapagliflozin is a drug developed for type 2 diabetes.
- Studies have shown that it reduces the risk of hospitalization and death related to acute heart failure.
- This time, researchers show that it reduces diuresis and the duration of hospitalization in people admitted to the emergency room for this pathology.
In the United States, 800,000 people go to the emergency room each year because of acute heart failure. This sudden inability of the heart to pump blood properly can be very serious. In the specialized publication Journal of the American College of CardiologyAmerican scientists present a promising treatment to treat it.
Type 2 diabetes and heart failure: what is dapagliflozin?
The drug, dapagliflozin, has already been approved by American health authorities for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This time, researchers are showing its effectiveness in the management of acute heart failure. “Dapagliflozin is a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor that acts on the kidneys to increase the elimination of sodium and glucose from the body., specify the authors in a press release. Previous work has shown that it helps reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure and death in patients with serious health problems, including kidney problems or cardiovascular disease.
What are the effects of this medication on pulmonary congestion, linked to heart failure?
For this new research, the authors’ goal was to understand the drug’s effects on lung congestion caused by fluid buildup in the lungs. The management of this effect of acute heart failure is still poorly defined, according to the authors. “This contributes to prolonged hospital stays and high mortality and readmission rates.”, they estimate. Some patients do not respond to diuretics, and leave the hospital with this congestion, which can lead to further admissions later.
Acute heart failure: the drug reduces the length of hospitalization
The trial included 240 people hospitalized for acute heart failure. “Within 24 hours of admission for acute heart failure, patients were randomized to receive either dapagliflozin or conventional diuretic therapy.indicates the communicated. According to their findings, this trial demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of the drug at the start of hospitalization. “Patients who received the drug experienced no increase in adverse events, required shorter diuresis periods, and were able to leave the hospital more quickly..” Diuresis corresponds to the elimination of excess fluid in the lungs. For Zachary Cox, professor of pharmaceutical practice at Lipscomb University (Nashville) and lead author of this study, these results will have “an international impact on the treatment of acute heart failure”.