Empagliflozin, an inhibitor of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2, plus standard care, reduced heart failure (HF) hospitalization or cardiovascular death in type 2 diabetes patients with or without heart failure at baseline, according to expanded results from the EMPA-REG trial presented Nov. 9 during AHA 2015 in Orlando.

Subgroup analyses from the EMPA-REG trial looked at the 7,020 patients who were randomized to receive 10 mg or 25 mg of empagliflozin or placebo once daily and assessed the baseline characteristics, including the presence or absence of HF. Results showed that in patients without HF at baseline, 1.8 percent in the empagliflozin group were hospitalized for HF, vs. 3.1 percent in the placebo group. In patients with HF at baseline, 10.4 patients in the empagliflozin group were hospitalized for HF vs. 12.3 percent in the placebo group.

Further, in patients without HF at baseline, 4.5 percent in the empagliflozin group had HF hospitalization or cardiovascular death, vs. 7.1 percent in the placebo group. In patients with HF at baseline, 16.2 patients in the empagliflozin group had HF hospitalization or cardiovascular death vs. 20.1 percent in the placebo group.

"Empagliflozin, given in addition to standard of care, reduced HF hospitalization or cardiovascular death, with a consistent benefit observed in both those with and without HF at baseline," noted lead author Silvio E Inzucchi, MD, chair of the Diabetes Collaborative Registry Research and Publications Subcommittee, while presenting the study results.

Keywords: AHA Annual Scientific Sessions, Benzhydryl Compounds, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Glucose, Glucosides, Hospitalization, Sodium, Standard of Care, Metabolic Syndrome, Heart Failure

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