Estimating the number of preventable cardiovascular disease events in the United States using the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial results and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

AIM: We examined eligibility and preventable cardiovascular disease events in US adults with diabetes mellitus from the Empagliflozin Cardiovascular Outcome Event Trial in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients (EMPA-REG OUTCOME). METHODS: We identified adults with diabetes mellitus eligible for EMPA-REG OUTCOME based on trial eligibility criteria available from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 2007–2016. We estimated composite cardiovascular disease endpoints, as well as all-cause deaths, death from cardiovascular disease and hospitalizations for heart failure from trial treatment and placebo event rates, the difference indicating the preventable events. RESULTS: Among 29,629 US adults aged ⩾18 years (representing 231.9 million), 4672 (27.3 million) had diabetes mellitus, with 342 (1.86 million) meeting eligibility criteria of EMPA-REG OUTCOME. We estimated from trial primary endpoint event rates of 10.5% and 12.1% in the empagliflozin and placebo groups, respectively, that based on the ‘treatment’ of our 1.86 million estimated EMPA-REG OUTCOME eligible subjects, 12,066 (95% confidence interval: 10,352–13,780) cardiovascular disease events could be prevented annually. Estimated annual preventable deaths from any cause, cardiovascular causes and hospitalizations from heart failure were 17,078 (95% confidence interval: 14,652–19,504), 14,479 (95% confidence interval: 12,422–16,536) and 9467 (95% confidence interval: 8122–10,812), respectively. CONCLUSION: Empagliflozin, if provided to EMPA-REG OUTCOME eligible US adults, may prevent many cardiovascular disease events, cardiovascular and total deaths, as well as heart failure hospitalizations.