Use of Cardioprotective Therapy in Diabetes in the US: ACC21 – Simultaneous Publication

In a simultaneous publication with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions, 2021, led by Arash Nargesi and Gini Jeyashanmugaraja, our group found the broad population that is eligible for cardioprotective anti-hyperglycemic therapy in US patients with type 2 diabetes.

 The study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that more than half of US adults with type 2 diabetes have compelling indications for sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and a third have strong recommendations for glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs).

 The study was conducted in a nationally representative population of patients with diabetes in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States in 2017-2018. The guideline recommendations for these drugs were defined based on the recommendations from American Diabetes Association and the American College of Cardiology.

 Randomized clinical trials have suggested a significant benefit with these agents, and their role as key therapy for cardiovascular and renal risk reduction has increasingly been incorporated in clinical practice guidelines. The study found that despite broad eligibility for both medications, fewer than 5% of patients with compelling indications received any SGLT-2 inhibitor or GLP-1RAs. Moreover, the use did not seem to be targeted to the currently accepted high-risk groups.

Read more about the study here.