Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibition in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure: rationale for and design of the EMPULSE trial

Dapagliflozin in heart failure with preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction: rationale and design of the DELIVER trial

Aims

Sodium–glucose co‐transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, originally developed as glucose‐lowering agents, have been shown to reduce heart failure hospitalizations in patients with type 2 diabetes without established heart failure, and in patients with heart failure with and without diabetes. Their role in patients with heart failure with preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction remains unknown.

Methods

Dapagliflozin Evaluation to Improve the LIVEs of Patients With PReserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure (DELIVER) is an international, multicentre, parallel group, event‐driven, randomized, double‐blind trial in patients with chronic heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >40%, comparing the effect of dapagliflozin 10 mg once daily, vs. placebo, in addition to standard of care. Patients with or without diabetes, with signs and symptoms of heart failure, a LVEF >40%, elevation in natriuretic peptides and evidence of structural heart disease are eligible. The primary endpoint is time‐to‐first cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure event (heart failure hospitalization or urgent heart failure visit), and will be assessed in dual primary analyses – the full population and in those with LVEF <60%. The study is event‐driven and will target 1117 primary events. A total of 6263 patients have been randomized.

Conclusions

DELIVER will determine the efficacy and safety of the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin, added to conventional therapy, in patients with heart failure and preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction.

Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Approaches to Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is one of the leading admission diagnoses worldwide, yet it is an entity with incompletely understood pathophysiology and limited therapeutic options. Patients admitted for ADHF have high in-hospital morbidity and mortality, as well as frequent rehospitalizations and subsequent cardiovascular death. This devastating clinical course is partly due to suboptimal medical management of ADHF with persistent congestion upon hospital discharge and inadequate predischarge initiation of life-saving guideline-directed therapies. While new drugs for the treatment of chronic HF continue to be approved, there has been no new therapy approved for ADHF in decades. This review will focus on the current limited understanding of ADHF pathophysiology, possible therapeutic targets, and current limitations in expanding available therapies in light of the unmet need among these high-risk patients.

Women and Diabetes: Preventing Heart Disease in a New Era of Therapies

Despite major advances in cardiovascular research over the past decade, women with type 2 diabetes have a high risk of cardiovascular events. Several factors contribute to the poor prognosis for women, including higher levels of frailty and comorbidities, but their cardiovascular risk is underestimated and there is suboptimal implementation and uptitration of new evidence-based therapies, leading to high morbidity and mortality. Recent studies highlight the need for better management of diabetes in women that can be pursued and achieved in light of recent results from randomised controlled trials demonstrating evidence of the benefits of new therapeutic strategies in improving cardiovascular outcomes and quality of life of women covering the entire cardiovascular continuum. This review critically discusses the multiple benefits for women of new pharmacological treatments, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors, inclisiran, icosapent ethyl and bempedoic acid in preventing cardiovascular events, and treatments, such as angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors, SGLT2i, vericiguat and omecamtiv mecarbil, for preventing heart failure.