Posted on 12/02/2021 3:58:18 PM PST by ConservativeMind
A medication originally used for patients with diabetes is the first to help people with heart failure and could revolutionize treatment.
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.
But new findings published today show that the medication could be beneficial for all heart failure patients—including those with a second type of heart failure called preserved ejection fraction.
It is the first drug to provide a real benefit in terms of improving outcomes for these patients. And the research team say it will revolutionize treatment options.
"There are two types of heart failure.
"Patients are equally split between the two types of heart failure.
"For many years there was not a single medicine that could improve the outcome in patients with the second type of heart failure—those patients with preserved ejection fraction.
"This type of heart failure had puzzled doctors, as every medicine tested showed no benefit.
"One class of heart medication, called SGLT2 inhibitors, was initially used for patients with diabetes. However, it was noticed that it also helped patients who had heart failure.
"Previous studies had shown that this medication would be beneficial in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.
"But we found that it can also help heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction."
SGLT2 inhibitors are more commonly known under their trade-names Forxiga (Dapagliflozin), Invokana (Canagliflozin), and Jardiance (Empagliflozin).
Prof Vassiliou said: "Patients taking SGLT2 inhibitors were 22 percent less likely to die from heart-related causes or be hospitalized for heart failure exacerbation.
"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.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
I take Jardiance for diabetes.
It has been very effective on my A1C with no side effects.
Expensive though.
Bookmark
Anything that works is expensive and the insurance does very little help.
This medication is useless when combined with the covid vaccine
It would be amazing indeed if it was also effective on certain cardiovascular disorders.
It’s got a long way to go. The FDA has found a lot of problems in their screenings to include:
FDA warns about rare occurrences of a serious infection of the genital area with SGLT2 inhibitors for diabetes
FDA Drug Safety Communicaion: FDA confirms increased risk of leg and foot amputations with the diabetes medicine canagliflozin (Invokana, Invokamet, Invokamet XR)
FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA strengthens kidney warnings for diabetes medicines canagliflozin (Invokana, Invokamet) and dapagliflozin (Farxiga, Xigduo XR)
FDA Drug Safety Communication: Interim clinical trial results find increased risk of leg and foot amputations, mostly affecting the toes, with the diabetes medicine canagliflozin (Invokana, Invokamet); FDA to investigate
FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA revises labels of SGLT2 inhibitors for diabetes to include warnings about too much acid in the blood and serious urinary tract infections
FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA revises label of diabetes drug canagliflozin (Invokana, Invokamet) to include updates on bone fracture risk and new information on decreased bone mineral density
Don’t look for it to be available right away. They have a lot of work to do and it is normal to be years into a study of a drug before it hits the shelves. The C-19 drugs are an example as they were slammed in too quickly as they are finding at the moment.
wy69
bkmk
I’m on ozempic. I lost approx. 30 pounds before they put me on it. Soon I’m going to have to buy new pants.
CC
JARDIANCE side effects:
Necrotizing fasciitis. A rare but serious bacterial infection that causes damage to the tissue under the skin in the area between and around your anus and genitals (perineum). This bacterial infection has happened in women and men who take JARDIANCE, and may lead to hospitalization, multiple surgeries, and death.
Seek medical attention immediately if you have fever or are feeling very weak, tired or uncomfortable (malaise), and you develop any of the following symptoms in the area between and around your anus and genitals: pain or tenderness, swelling, and redness of skin (erythema).
Vaginal yeast infection. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have vaginal odor, white or yellowish vaginal discharge (discharge may be lumpy or look like cottage cheese), and/or vaginal itching.
Yeast infection of the penis. Swelling of an uncircumcised penis may develop that makes it difficult to pull back the skin around the tip of the penis. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have redness, itching or swelling of the penis, rash of the penis, foul smelling discharge from the penis, and/or pain in the skin around the penis.
Talk to your healthcare provider about what to do if you get symptoms of a yeast infection of the vagina or penis. Your healthcare provider may suggest you use an over-the-counter antifungal medicine. Talk to your healthcare provider right away if you use an over-the-counter antifungal medication and your symptoms do not go away.
Allergic (hypersensitivity) reactions. Symptoms of serious allergic reactions to JARDIANCE may include: swelling of your face, lips, throat and other areas of your skin, difficulty with swallowing or breathing, raised, red areas on your skin (hives). If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking JARDIANCE and contact your healthcare provider or go to the nearest emergency room right away.
thanks for the post. once again, I learned something from reading FR!
“A normal heart’s ejection fraction may be between 50 and 70 percent.
You can have a normal ejection fraction measurement and still have heart failure (called HFpEF or heart failure with preserved ejection fraction).
If the heart muscle has become so thick and stiff that the ventricle holds a smaller than usual volume of blood, it might still seem to pump out a normal percentage of the blood that enters it. In reality, though, the total amount of blood pumped isn’t enough to meet your body’s needs.
What’s too low?
A ejection fraction measurement under 40 percent may be evidence of heart failure or cardiomyopathy.
An EF from 41 to 49 percent may be considered “borderline.” It does not always indicate that a person is developing heart failure. Instead, it may indicate damage, perhaps from a previous heart attack.”
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-failure/diagnosing-heart-failure/ejection-fraction-heart-failure-measurement#:~:text=A%20normal%20heart%E2%80%99s%20ejection%20fraction%20may%20be%20between,and%20stiff%20that%20the%20ventricle%20holds%20a%20smaller
I’d say that those potential issues are with people who have serious diabetes. These heart patients may not have those problems.
Then don’t get serious diabetes, which those issues might happen with.
These patients don’t have diabetes.
Health concerns that increase the risk of heart disease also increase risk of heart failure. These include obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, kidney disease, and tobacco use.
Diet and exercise work better than any drug.
I’ve taken Jardiance for a couple years now with no problems. It started helping me to lose weight right away. I now also take Ozempic which accelerated the weight loss - I’ve lost about 60 pounds from peak weight, and A1C has remained around 7. If this keeps up I’ll have to change my screen name.
“...serious diabetes...”
Diabetes is a progressive illness changing on a day by day basis. It can start out light with only a dietary check to be slowed a little. But it can raise its ugly head if you do any of a number of things that are contributory to a major event.
And the heart is directly related to the respiratory system as yur heart pumps oxygenated blood to the body to the cells of your tissues and organs. But the most problems with asthma, COPD, and a number of other illnesses is that heart also pumps its own blood to itself. Many of the heart diseases we have are related to this function.
“These heart patients may not have those problems.”
Then again, they may and the treatment may be a deterrent to healthy possibilities. When I had my first stint put in, neither the doc nor I knew I needed it and he called me the afternoon after the morning appointment and I was in surgery the next morning. So it isn’t a pure field of knowledge.
wy69
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