Contemporary prospects for the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors

To determine contemporary prospects for the use of non-glycemic effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in comorbid patients, the analysis of existing studies was carried out.

The mechanisms of action of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors discovered during the EMPA-REG OUTCOME study which were previously unknown, encouraged further research on the use of these drugs in other pathological conditions. The authors of the article have analyzed some clinical and preclinical studies on the use of this drug group in such conditions as stroke, cancer, rheumatological diseases, and rhythm disorders, as well as their impact on the development of major adverse cardiovascular events. The effects of oxidative stress suppression in the myocardium and nervous tissue with an increase in the number of mitochondria which reduces the risk of developing rhythm disorders, improves neoangiogenesis in the focus of ischemic necrosis, and has neuroprotective effects are described in the article. In oncological diseases, gliflozins prevent proliferation of tumor cells and oncogenesis through the induction of late apoptosis and also have cardioprotective effects in patients undergoing chemotherapy. The use of these medicines reduces the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events, as well as restenosis after intravascular interventions. The positive effect on the course of rheumatological diseases was in improving laboratory parameters in a number of diseases and reducing the frequency of exacerbations and visits to a doctor in patients with gout.

With a constant increase in the number of patients with comorbid conditions, it is important to carry out further study of pleiotropic effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors for the subsequent introduction of new data into clinical practice.