Assessing Pharmacokinetic Interactions Between the Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitor Empagliflozin and Hydrochlorothiazide or Torasemide in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized, Open-Label, Crossover Study

A Systematic Critical Review of Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Torasemide

PURPOSE

Torasemide is a potassium-sparing loop diuretic used to treat fluid retention associated with congestive heart failure and kidney and hepatic diseases. This systematic review was conducted to combine all accessible data on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of torasemide in healthy and diseased populations, which may help clinicians avert adverse drug reactions and determine the correct dosage regimen.

METHODS

Four databases were systematically searched to screen for studies associated with the PK of torasemide, and 21 studies met the eligibility criteria. The review protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42023390178).

RESULTS

A decrease in maximum plasma concentration (C max ) was observed for torasemide after administration of the prolonged-release formulation in comparison to that after administration of the immediate-release formulation, that is, 1.12 ± 0.17 versus 1.6 ± 0.2 mcg/mL. After administering an oral dose of torasemide, a 2-fold increase in the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) was reported in patients with congestive heart failure compared with the healthy population. Moreover, the patients with renal failure (clearance < 30 mL/min) showed an increase in value of AUC 0-∞ that is, 42.9 versus 8.091 mcg.h -1 .mL -1 compared with healthy subjects. In addition, some studies have reported interactions with different drugs, in which irbesartan showed a slight increase in the AUC 0-∞ of torasemide, whereas losartan and empagliflozin did not.

CONCLUSIONS

The current review summarizes all available PK parameters of torasemide that may be beneficial for avoiding drug-drug interactions in subjects with renal and hepatic dysfunction and for predicting doses in patients with different diseases.

Empagliflozin in the treatment of heart failure

Heart failure (HF) affects more than 60 million individuals globally. Empagliflozin is currently approved for type 2 diabetes and chronic HF. Clinical trials have demonstrated that empagliflozin reduces the composite end point of hospitalizations for HF and mortality and improves the quality of life irrespective of left ventricular ejection fraction. Empagliflozin is a once-daily medication with minimal drug-drug interactions and does not require titration. Empagliflozin causes mild weight loss and does not significantly reduce blood pressure. Empagliflozin acts as an enabler for other HF drugs by reducing the risk of hyperkalemia. Empagliflozin is also beneficial for chronic kidney disease which exists commonly with HF. This review outlines the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and efficacy of empagliflozin in HF across various sub-groups and settings.

Counteracting heart failure with diabetes drugs: a review into the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties

INTRODUCTION

: Heart failure (HF) is becoming a huge public health burden. New diabetes drugs for type 2 diabetes (T2D), sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is), reduce the rate of hospitalization for HF in placebo-controlled trials.

AREAS COVERED

: Pharmacokinetics of dapagliflozin and empagliflozin (in presence of renal impairment and hepatic dysfunction, two comorbidities frequently associated with HF) and pharmacodynamic studies in patients with HF. Main HF outcomes in T2D patients with cardiovascular risk and in patients with reduced (HFrEF) or preserved (HFpEF) ejection fraction, with or without T2D, from DAPA-HF, EMPEROR-Reduced and EMPEROR-Preserved original findings and post hoc analyses.

EXPERT OPINION

: No clinically relevant changes are expected concerning SGLT2i pharmacokinetics in patients with HF while pharmacodynamic studies reported improvements in myocardium/vascular parameters, biomarkers and functional status. All SGLT2is showed a remarkable reduction in hospitalization for HF in patients with T2D and high cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, both dapagliflozin and empagliflozin improved the prognosis of patients with HFrEF, independently of the presence of T2D. Similar results were reported with empagliflozin in patients with HFpEF, to be confirmed with dapagliflozin in an ongoing trial (DELIVER). Thus, SGLT2is offer a new opportunity for the prevention and management of HF in patients with or without T2D.

An evaluation of empagliflozin and it's applicability to hypertension as a therapeutic option

INTRODUCTION

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors such as Empagliflozin are novel antihyperglycemic drugs approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). In addition to its glucose-lowering effects, Empagliflozin promotes weight loss, blood pressure reduction, and other beneficial metabolic benefits.

AREAS COVERED

This review outlines the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and tolerability of Empagliflozin and discusses its role in diabetes-associated hypertension.

EXPERT OPINION

Empagliflozin was the first in class to not only demonstrate safety of SGLT2 inhibition but also cardio- and reno-protective effects in an adequately powered cardiovascular outcome trial. The EMPA-REG study showed significant reductions in mortality from cardiovascular causes, hospitalization for heart failure, and progression of diabetic kidney disease. These benefits cannot be attributed to glycemic control alone, suggesting the involvement of other SGLT2 inhibition-mediated mechanisms. Recent data suggests the potential utility of SGLT2 inhibition in other conditions including type 1 diabetes (T1D) and non-diabetic heart failure patients with clinical trials currently being conducted. In concert with ongoing pre-clinical investigations to unravel the mechanisms contributing to cardiorenal protection, the full therapeutic potential of SGLT2 inhibition will become apparent over the next few years and promises to be one of the major success stories in clinical medicine.

ABBREVIATIONS

T1D: type 1 diabetes; T2D: type 2 diabetes; SGLT2: sodium-glucose cotransporter 2; CVD: cardiovascular disease; SBP: systolic blood pressure; DBP: diastolic blood pressure; SNS: sympathetic nervous system; BP: blood pressure; CV: cardiovascular; ZDF: Zucker diabetic fatty; CKD: chronic kidney disease; FDA: Food and Drug Administration.

A new HPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous quantification of SGLT2 inhibitors and metformin in plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study in healthy volunteers

Monitoring the plasma concentrations of metformin and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and empagliflozin) is essential for pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence studies and therapeutic monitoring. The present work therefore aimed to develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous quantification of these drugs in human plasma. The analyses were performed using an Agilent 1200 HPLC system coupled to an Applied Biosystems API 3200 triple quadrupole MS/MS with electrospray ionization in positive ion mode. After one-step protein precipitation of plasma with acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid, chromatographic separation was achieved on an Xbridge C₁₈ column, with a mobile phase consisting of a gradient of water and acetonitrile, both containing 1 mm ammonium formate and 0.1% formic acid. Quantification was performed in multiple reaction monitoring mode using m/z 130.1 → 71.1 for metformin, m/z 462.0 → 191.2 for canagliflozin, m/z 426.1 → 167.1 for dapagliflozin and m/z 468.0 → 354.9 for empagliflozin. The proposed method was validated and demonstrated to be adequate for the quantification of metformin, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and empagliflozin for clinical monitoring, pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence studies.

A safety update on sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors

Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) are the first class of glucose lowering agent to be shown to reduce cardiovascular events. They are generally well tolerated with infrequent serious adverse events. The most frequent side effect is genital mycotic infections with candida species that are usually mild to moderate in severity, easily treated and infrequently recur. Urinary tract infections, although common in patients with diabetes, have not been shown to be increased in controlled studies with SGLT2i. Hypoglycaemia can occur when an SGLT2i is added to agents that cause hypoglycaemia, such as insulin or sulphonylureas. Volume depletion and hypotension is infrequent and can be minimized by adjusting diuretic and antihypertensive treatment in patients at risk. Acute renal failure or kidney injury was observed in early observational studies. However, in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and in more recent observational studies a decreased incidence of acute kidney injury was observed in SGLT2-treated patients compared to those receiving either placebo or another class of glucose lowering agents. An increased incidence of amputation (largely feet and toes) was observed in the RCT with canagliflozin but not with the other SGLT2i. Observational studies have shown either an increased risk of amputation with other agents whereas another study showed no increase. Although the increased risk of amputation is very low, avoidance of SGLT2i in patients at high risk seems prudent. Increased incidence of fractures was observed with canagliflozin but not with SGLT2i nor in a meta-analysis that included canagliflozin, empagliflozin and dapagliflozin. No increased incidence of cancer has been observed in either RCTs or observational studies.

Analysis from the EMPA-REG OUTCOME® trial indicates empagliflozin may assist in preventing the progression of chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes irrespective of medications that alter intrarenal hemodynamics

In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular (CV) disease, empagliflozin (EMPA) decreased progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), likely via a reduction in intraglomerular pressure. Due to prevalent comorbidities, such as hypertension and albuminuria, patients often receive other agents that alter intrarenal hemodynamics, including angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEi/ARBs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and diuretics. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may also be used by some individuals. In this exploratory, non-prespecified analysis, we investigated whether the kidney benefits of EMPA are altered in individuals already using the medications in these categories. In the BI 10773 (Empagliflozin) Cardiovascular Outcome Event Trial in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients (EMPA-REG OUTCOME^®) trial, 7020 patients were essentially equally randomized to EMPA 10 mg, 25 mg or placebo added to their standard care. Differences in risk of incident or worsening nephropathy for pooled EMPA vs placebo across subgroups by baseline background medications (to which patients were not randomized) were assessed using a Cox proportional hazards model. Risk reductions in incident or worsening nephropathy with EMPA were consistent across medication subgroups, with no heterogeneity of treatment effect. As a representative example, the risk for acute renal failure was overall slightly increased in patients using ACEi/ARBs in all groups (placebo, EMPA 10 mg or EMPA 25 mg) but incidence rates were numerically lower in those assigned to EMPA. Similar patterns were observed for other medications included in this analysis. Thus, EMPA may assist to prevent CKD progression in patients with T2DM with CV disease, irrespective of common background medications that alter intrarenal hemodynamics, and without increasing acute renal adverse events.

Type 2 Diabetes and Thiazide Diuretics

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, the use of thiazides as antihypertensive agents has been challenged because associated metabolic adverse events, including new-onset diabetes.

RECENT FINDINGS

These metabolic disturbances are less marked with low-dose thiazides and, in most but not all studies, with thiazide-like diuretics (chlorthalidone, indapamide) than with thiazide-type diuretics (hydrochlorothiazide). In post hoc analyses of subgroups of patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes, thiazides resulted in a significant reduction in cardiovascular events, all-cause mortality, and hospitalization for heart failure compared to placebo and generally were shown to be non-inferior to other antihypertensive agents. Benefits attributed to thiazide diuretics in terms of cardiovascular event reduction outweigh the risk of worsening glucose control in type 2 diabetes and of new-onset diabetes in non-diabetic patients. Thiazides still play a key role in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

The effect of empagliflozin on muscle sympathetic nerve activity in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

Inhibition of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 with empagliflozin results in caloric loss by increasing urinary glucose excretion and has a mild diuretic effect. Diuretic effects are usually associated with reflex-mediated increases in sympathetic tone, whereas caloric loss is associated with decreased sympathetic tone. In an open-label trial, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) (burst frequency, burst incidence, and total MSNA) was assessed using microneurography performed off-treatment and on day 4 of treatment with empagliflozin 25 mg once daily in 22 metformin-treated patients with type II diabetes (mean [range] age 54 [40-65] years). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), heart rate, urine volume, and body weight were assessed before and on day 4 (BP, heart rate), day 5 (urine volume), or day 6 (body weight) of treatment with empagliflozin. After 4 days of treatment with empagliflozin, no significant changes in MSNA were apparent despite a numerical increase in urine volume, numerical reductions in BP, and significant weight loss. There were no clinically relevant changes in heart rate. Empagliflozin is not associated with clinically relevant reflex-mediated sympathetic activation in contrast to increases observed with diuretics in other studies. Our study suggests a novel mechanism through which sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibition affects human autonomic cardiovascular regulation.

Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Empagliflozin in Healthy Egyptian Volunteers Using LC-MS/MS and Comparison with Other Ethnic Populations

The present study considered the pharmacokinetic evaluation of empagliflozin after administration to Egyptian volunteers, and the results were compared with other ethnic populations. The FDA recognizes that standard methods of defining racial subgroups are necessary to compare results across pharmacokinetic studies and to assess potential subgroup differences. The design of the study was as an open labeled, randomized, one treatment, one period, single dose pharmacokinetic study. The main pharmacokinetic parameters estimated were C_max, T_max, t_1/2, elimination rate constant, AUC_0-t and AUC_0-inf. The insignificant difference in pharmacokinetic parameters between Egyptians and white German subjects suggests that no dose adjustment should be considered with administration of 25 mg empagliflozin to Egyptian population. A new LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated, allowing sensitive estimation of empagliflozin (25–600 ng mL⁻¹) in human plasma using dapagliflozin as an internal standard (IS). The method was applied successfully on the underlying pharmacokinetic study with enhanced sample preparation that involved liquid-liquid extraction. Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) of the transition pairs of m/z 449.01 to 371.21 for empagliflozin and m/z 407.00 to 328.81 for dapagliflozin (IS) was employed utilizing negative mode Electro Spray Ionization (ESI). The validated LC-MS/MS method is suitable for further toxicodynamic and bioequivalence studies.

Impact of empagliflozin in patients with diabetes and heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a common disease with increased risk for mortality and morbidity among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Optimal glycemic control in this patient population is challenging as many available therapies can potentially exacerbate symptoms of HF. Empagliflozin is one in a novel class of agents, the sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, that lowers blood glucose by increasing urinary glucose excretion and improves glycemic control and lowers body weight and blood pressure. In the recent EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial, empagliflozin was shown to improve cardiovascular outcomes in patients with T2DM and established cardiovascular risk where it reduced HF hospitalizations and cardiovascular death, with a consistent benefit among patients both with and without baseline HF. Here, we review the empagliflozin data on HF outcomes and discuss potential mechanisms for its benefits in HF with a focus on the potentially significant impact that empagliflozin may have on the care of patients with T2DM and HF in the future.

The Role of Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitors in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia that results from insulin resistance, diminished or absent insulin secretion, or both. Approximately one-half of patients with diabetes fail to achieve acceptable glycemic control. Consequently, morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes is high, resulting from complications such as cardiovascular disease and nephropathy. The sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a new class of medications for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This article provides an overview of efficacy and safety data for the SGLT2 inhibitors and outlines their role in the management of diabetes.

METHODS

Relevant articles were identified through searches of PubMed and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts by using the key terms canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor. A review of bibliographies of retrieved articles was also performed to identify additional references. All identified trials published in English and that involved the efficacy and safety of SGLT2 inhibitors in the treatment of type 2 diabetes were reviewed.

FINDINGS

The SGLT2 inhibitors improve glucose control by increasing urinary glucose excretion. Effectiveness is decreased in the presence of renal dysfunction. These agents are efficacious as monotherapy and add-on therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes uncontrolled on metformin, sulfonylureas, insulin, and other antihyperglycemic combinations. The SGLT2 inhibitors lower glycosylated hemoglobin by 0.5% to 1% and fasting plasma glucose by ~15 to 35 mg/dL, depending on the agent and the dosage used, and are also associated with modest reductions in weight (-1.5 to -3.5 kg) and systolic blood pressure (-3 to -5 mm Hg). Genital mycotic infections and increased urination, owing to the mechanism of action, are the most common adverse effects. In general, the class is well tolerated, and the risk of hypoglycemia is low.

IMPLICATIONS

With their unique mechanism of action and good safety and tolerability profiles, the SGLT2 inhibitors are an important addition to existing treatments for type 2 diabetes. Because of the lack of data with this class of drugs when current treatment guidelines for diabetes were published, the SGLT2 inhibitors are recommended as second- or third-line therapies for diabetes. Forthcoming data on the long-term efficacy and safety profile of these agents should help to solidify the role of SGLT2 inhibitors in the management of diabetes.

Drug-drug interactions with sodium-glucose cotransporters type 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, new oral glucose-lowering agents for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Inhibitors of sodium-glucose cotransporters type 2 (SGLT2) reduce hyperglycaemia by decreasing renal glucose threshold and thereby increasing urinary glucose excretion. They are proposed as a novel approach for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. They have proven their efficacy in reducing glycated haemoglobin, without inducing hypoglycaemia, as monotherapy or in combination with various other glucose-lowering agents, with the add-on value of promoting some weight loss and lowering arterial blood pressure. As they may be used concomitantly with many other drugs, we review the potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) regarding the three leaders in the class (dapagliglozin, canagliflozin and empagliflozin). Most of the available studies were performed in healthy volunteers and have assessed the pharmacokinetic interferences with a single administration of the SGLT2 inhibitor. The exposure [assessed by peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)] to each SGLT2 inhibitor tested was not significantly influenced by the concomitant administration of other glucose-lowering agents or cardiovascular agents commonly used in patients with type 2 diabetes. Reciprocally, these medications did not influence the pharmacokinetic parameters of dapagliflozin, canagliflozin or empagliflozin. Some modest changes were not considered as clinically relevant. However, drugs that could specifically interfere with the metabolic pathways of SGLT2 inhibitors [rifampicin, inhibitors or inducers of uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT)] may result in significant changes in the exposure of SGLT2 inhibitors, as shown for dapagliflozin and canagliflozin. Potential DDIs in patients with type 2 diabetes receiving chronic treatment with an SGLT2 inhibitor deserve further attention, especially in individuals treated with several medications or in more fragile patients with hepatic and/or renal impairment.