Empagliflozin as a Preventive Measure for Heart Failure Post-Myocardial Infarction
|
Reviewed by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM.
Translated by Nhi Phuong Quynh Le, B.A |
Posted on May 17th, 2024
|
It had previously been observed that treatment of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors help improve cardiovascular outcomes of heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Given the heightened risk of heart failure subsequent to a myocardial infarction episode, a study was initiated to explore the potential of empagliflozin as a preventative measure.
The study enrolled 6522 patients recently hospitalized for myocardial infarction within the previous 14 days who are exhibiting signs of congestion or a left ventricular ejection fraction below 45%. The average age of participants was around 63.6 years, with nearly three-quarters affected with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or a daily oral dose of 10 mg of empagliflozin. Following a median follow-up period of 17.9 months, the researchers concluded that empagliflozin failed to notably reduce the risk of death or hospitalization due to heart failure. Researchers hypothesized that the absence of clinical benefits might be skewed by patients' reluctance to seek healthcare services when experiencing manageable symptoms, possibly due to concerns about contracting COVID-19.
The study enrolled 6522 patients recently hospitalized for myocardial infarction within the previous 14 days who are exhibiting signs of congestion or a left ventricular ejection fraction below 45%. The average age of participants was around 63.6 years, with nearly three-quarters affected with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or a daily oral dose of 10 mg of empagliflozin. Following a median follow-up period of 17.9 months, the researchers concluded that empagliflozin failed to notably reduce the risk of death or hospitalization due to heart failure. Researchers hypothesized that the absence of clinical benefits might be skewed by patients' reluctance to seek healthcare services when experiencing manageable symptoms, possibly due to concerns about contracting COVID-19.