The cardiovascular outcomes, heart failure and kidney disease trials tell that the time to use Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 inhibitors is now.

Sodium glucose contrasporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) were initially introduced as a novel class of modestly effective antiglycemics. Over the last 5 years, multiple members of this class have been examined for their cardiovascular safety, effects on heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in diverse populations with or without diabetes type 2. The plethora of studies and outcomes examined make it difficult for the practitioner to track the entirety of the evidence. SGLT2i improve cardiorenal outcomes and have a beneficial risk benefit ratio across populations with cardiovascular disease, HFrEF and kidney disease. In this quantitative review, we synthesize the data from the large outcomes trials about the benefits and risks of SGLT2i. SGLT2i reduce all cause, cardiovascular mortality, heart failure hospitalizations, need for dialysis and acute kidney injury as a class effect across a broad range of populations with diabetes Type 2 at risk for cardiovascular disease, patients with HFrEF or CKD with or without diabetes. While certain adverse events for example, diabetic ketoacidosis and genital mycotic infections are reproducibly increased by SGLT2i, the absolute increase in the risk of these complications is smaller than the absolute risk reductions conferred by SGLT2i. Other complications such as amputations, fractures and urinary tract infections are increased to a lesser degree, or not at all (e.g., hypoglycemia). Overall, SGLT2is appear to have a favorable safety profile and thus should be used by cardiologists, nephrologists, endocrinologists, primary care physicians when managing the cardiorenal risk of their patients.