Sodium Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in Clinical Practice: Impact beyond Glycemic Control

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that occurs due to an interplay of multiple perplexing pathophysiological mechanisms and leads to hyperglycemia. However, till date there has been no single unique molecule that can by itself effectively address all the metabolic abnormalities occurring in type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, type 2 diabetes must be managed with agents that can combat hyperglycemia without causing hypoglycemia and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Thus, the need of the hour is for a unique molecule that can deliver beyond glycemic control and can in addition address the cardiovascular risk factors that arise in type 2 diabetes. Sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors are the latest of the oral hypoglycemic agents that act by insulin-independent mechanisms and tackle several cardiovascular risk factors that occur in type 2 diabetes. The scope of this article will be to focus primarily on the cardiovascular benefits of SGLT-2 inhibitors and its actions beyond glycemic control in providing a comprehensive care in the management of type 2 diabetes.