Clinical Benefits of Sodium–Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors and the Mechanisms Underlying Their Cardiovascular Effects

In addition to showing antidiabetic effects, sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors also reduce cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In major trials of cardiovascular outcomes, SGLT2 inhibitors have been shown to improve cardiovascular and renal outcomes, including reduced rehospitalization in patients with heart failure, regardless of the presence of diabetes. A recent report showed that the benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors in terms of cardiovascular deaths/admissions caused by heart failure and reduced ejection fraction were greater in Asians than in Whites. In this review, the first part demonstrates the results of recent clinical trials and their clinical implications and outlines current trials and upcoming research areas. The second part provides a general overview of the current understanding of the mechanisms of the cardiovascular benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors.