The role of SGLT2 inhibitors in heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a highly prevalent disease worldwide. Its prevalence is expected to grow for the foreseeable future increasing the need for continuous assessment and optimization of guideline-directed medical therapy. The purpose of this article is to review available data assessing the use of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors for management of HF. An independent literature search using PubMed was performed by each author to identify all pertinent articles. In addition, reference sections of each article were reviewed. Articles were eligible for inclusion if they assessed the use of SGLT2 inhibitors on therapeutic outcomes related to HF. Among patients with HF, SGLT2 inhibitors reduced the risk of cardiovascular mortality and HF hospitalization regardless of the presence of diabetes. These agents increased the risk of urinary and genital infections. These data support the addition of SGLT2 inhibitors to guideline-directed medical therapy in HF patients, especially those with a reduced ejection fraction.