Sodium-glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors: Impact on Body Weight and Blood Pressure Compared with other Antidiabetic Drugs.

BACKGROUND: Sodium-glucose co-transporters 2 inhibitors have emerged as a novel antidiabetic class of drugs offering significant ameliorating effects on a variety of cardiovascular risk factors, secondary to their mechanism of action, including blood pressure and body weight. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to discuss available data on the impact of SGLT-2 inhibitors on blood pressure and body weight compared with other available anti-diabetic drugs and to present potential mechanisms mediating these effects. METHODS: A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to identify studies examining the effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors on blood pressure and body weight. RESULTS: SGLT-2 inhibition has been related with a mild decrease in blood pressure of approximately 3-5mmHg in systolic and 1-2mmHg in diastolic blood pressure. These data have been confirmed with 24h ambulatory measurements, as well. Furthermore, given the loss of calories in the urine, a mild decrease in body weight is anticipated, as well. Studies with this class of drugs noted a reduction in body weight of 2 to 3 kg, similar to the loss noted with the use of glucagon-like peptide 1 analogues, the only class of drugs that has offered significant reductions in body weight so far. Consclusion: The beneficial effects of the SGLT-2 inhibition on an abundance of cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure and body weight, have created great expectations for potential benefits from the cardiovascular events standpoint, a theory that was confirmed in the two available cardiovascular studies of this promising class of drugs.

Sodium-glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors: Nephroprotective Impact on Diabetic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy is a crucial microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus that is associated with elevated cardiovascular risk. SGLT-2 inhibitors are a new class of hypoglycemic drugs that positively affect several risk factors of cardiorenal damage. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to review and critically discuss available data on the association of SGLT-2 inhibitors treatment with kidney function, progress of diabetic kidney disease, and renal related outcomes, as well to unveil potential mechanisms of action that mediate such effects. METHOD: We conducted a comprehensive search of the literature on the renal related effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors, to compose a narrative mini-review. RESULTS: The administration of SGLT-2 inhibitors was observed to exert beneficial effects on a wide cluster of risk factors of chronic kidney disease, such as hyperglycemia, blood pressure, serum uric acid, and body weight. Data from the first two large, randomized, clinical trials of SGLT-2 inhibitors conducted to address the renal related outcomes of SGLT-2 inhibitors suggest substantial benefits on estimated glomerular filtration rate decline and albuminuria. CONCLUSION: The initial data suggest clinically meaningful benefits of the SGLT-2 inhibitors in diabetic patients in relevance with chronic kidney disease. Future, well-designed randomised clinical trials need to be further investigated such as nephroprotective outcomes, that if confirmed, could lead to new perspectives in the management of diabetic nephropathy.

Boosting the Limited Use of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists Through New Agents for Hyperkalemia.

BACKGROUND: Hyperkalemia is an important clinical problem that is associated with significant lifethreatening complications. Several conditions are associated with increased risk for hyperkalemia such as chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, and the use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review is to present and critically discuss treatment options for the management of hyperkalemia. METHOD: A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to identify studies assessing the drug-induced management of hyperkalemia. RESULTS: The management of chronic hyperkalemia seems to be challenging and includes a variety of traditional interventions, such as restriction in the intake of the dietary potassium, loop diuretics or sodium polystyrene sulfonate. In the last few years, several new agents have emerged as promising options to reduce potassium levels in hyperkalemic patients. Patiromer and sodium zirconium cyclosilicate 9 (ZS-9) have been examined in hyperkalemic patients and were found to be efficient and safe. Importantly, the efficacy of these novel drugs might allow the continuation of the use of RAAS inhibitors, morbidity- and mortality-wise beneficial class of drugs in the setting of chronic kidney disease and heart failure. CONCLUSION: Data support that the recently emerged patiromer and ZS-9 offer significant hyperkalemia-related benefits. Larger trials are needed to unveil the impact of these drugs in other patients' subpopulations, as well.