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Review
. 2024 Apr 25;20(5-6):251-261.
doi: 10.1080/14796678.2024.2360818. Epub 2024 Jun 12.

Empagliflozin in the treatment of heart failure

Aimen Shafiq  1 , Ishaque Hameed  1 , Jan Biegus  2 , Marat Fudim  3 , Muhammad Shahzeb Khan  3
Affiliations
Review

Empagliflozin in the treatment of heart failure

Aimen Shafiq et al. Future Cardiol. .

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) affects more than 60 million individuals globally. Empagliflozin is currently approved for type 2 diabetes and chronic HF. Clinical trials have demonstrated that empagliflozin reduces the composite end point of hospitalizations for HF and mortality and improves the quality of life irrespective of left ventricular ejection fraction. Empagliflozin is a once-daily medication with minimal drug-drug interactions and does not require titration. Empagliflozin causes mild weight loss and does not significantly reduce blood pressure. Empagliflozin acts as an enabler for other HF drugs by reducing the risk of hyperkalemia. Empagliflozin is also beneficial for chronic kidney disease which exists commonly with HF. This review outlines the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and efficacy of empagliflozin in HF across various sub-groups and settings.

Keywords: SGLT-2 inhibitor; cardiovascular outcomes; empagliflozin; heart failure; pharmacology.

Plain language summary

Empagliflozin is a one-daily medication and is an effective glucose-lowering drug for the treatment of diabetes. In recent years, researchers and medical professionals have discovered that empagliflozin may also be used to treat some cardiovascular conditions. Numerous people suffer from myocardial infarction (‘heart attack’) each year. According to several clinical trials, empagliflozin may slow the course of myocardial infarction and improve clinical outcomes and quality of life. Additionally, empagliflozin does not result in a substantial decrease in blood pressure and can also lead to mild weight loss. Therefore, empagliflozin shows potential as a useful medication for the treatment of myocardial infarction, especially in individuals with diabetes and impaired kidney function.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr. Khan has served on the advisory board for Bayer. The authors have no other competing interests or relevant affiliations with any organization or entity with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Potential mechanism of actions of empagliflozin.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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