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A drug used to treat type 2 diabetes called empagliflozin may also be an effective treatment for heart failure. The findings were revealed by a recently published study, which showed that empagliflozin was able to reverse heart failure in non-diabetic animals. In addition, it was found that this drug helped the heart to function more efficiently and produce more energy.
The research was conducted at Icahn School of Medicine in Mount Sinai, where scientists have discovered that the drug may be a treatment option for heart failure for diabetics and non-diabetics. Previous research has shown that diabetics – a population prone to developing heart failure – were less likely to develop the problem when taking empagliflozin.
This medicine, sold under the brand name Jardiance, was approved by the FDA in 2014 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This drug lowers blood sugar and limits the resorption of sugar in the kidneys. Previous research on the drug has shown that type 2 diabetics who take it do not usually develop heart failure, prompting this latest research to evaluate the potential benefits in terms of prevention.
To test this possible benefit, the researchers caused heart failure in 14 non-diabetic pigs. Half of these animals were then treated with empagliflozin and compared, after two months, to the other half of the placebo group. An improvement in cardiac function was observed in all pigs given empagliflozin, as well as lower water levels in the lungs and biomarkers of heart failure.
The study showed that in these treated pigs, the left ventricles of the heart showed stronger contractions, were less thick and less dilated than in other pigs. In addition, the hearts of these animals had a normal shape, which meant they had not expanded and had not experienced other similar problems. The researchers also noted that these pigs had improved cardiac metabolism.
The lead co-author of the study, Carlos Santos-Gallego, explained:
This study confirmed our hypothesis that empagliflozin would be an incredibly effective treatment for heart failure and not just an antidiabetic … This is extremely important because heart failure is a disease whose mortality rate is greater than 50% at 5 years. This study proposes a new therapeutic strategy in the field of heart failure, which is absolutely necessary given the lack of new drugs effective against heart failure since the 1990s.
The drug is currently being studied in a clinical trial as a potential treatment for heart failure in non-diabetic men.
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