In 2014, preparations called gliflozins entered the world of medicine. The promising drug initially helped delay the complications of diabetes. Subsequent clinical studies now reveal that the drug's potential is many times greater.
Gliflozin can improve symptoms of chronic heart failure, reduce hospitalizations and mortality. They have also been shown to have the ability to protect the kidneys, slow the deterioration of kidney function and delay dialysis for up to several years.
"We prescribe this medicine to our patients for its proven positive effect on the course of kidney disease, as it slows down the deterioration of their function. This is a treatment that really delays the start of dialysis and thus significantly improves the quality of life of patients with chronic kidney disease." says MUDr. Petr Hoffmann, nephrologist of the Internal Clinic of the 2nd Faculty of Medicine of the University of Warsaw and the Faculty of Medicine Motol.
Medicines have a positive effect not only on patients with diabetes and kidney disease, they also have very good results in patients with chronic heart failure. However, this only applies if the treatment is started on time.
"Gliflozins are used in cardiology in the treatment of heart failure (with reduced and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction), while primarily reducing the risk of death or hospitalization for heart failure. Currently, gliflozins are part of the standard treatment algorithm in these patients. In the near future, we expect the results of clinical studies that test the use of gliflozins also in other groups of cardiac patients," explains prof. MD Petr Ošťádal, Ph.D., head of the Cardiology Clinic of the 2nd Faculty of Medicine of the UK and Motol University of Applied Sciences.
Early use of medication is very important. Regular check-ups with an outpatient specialist (diabetologist, cardiologist, nephrologist), including blood and urine sampling, should be a matter of course, they lead to early diagnosis of complications and initiation of their treatment.
"Since I have been taking gliflozin, joy has returned to my life. As a result of the illness, I had to cut back on many of the activities I loved, but now I can do everything I enjoy again", Mr. Petr, a patient with chronic heart failure, describes his experience.
Today, treatment for most indications is covered by the health insurance company, and the drug can be prescribed not only by a diabetologist, but also by a cardiologist and a nephrologist, to all patients who meet the other criteria for treatment.
"Thanks to gliflozins, it turned out that our specialties have more in common than we thought, because the heart, kidneys and metabolism affect each other, and if one component is damaged, the other two are also damaged. For this reason, interdisciplinary cooperation is very important, which is gradually developing thanks to gliflozins," adds MUDr. Karolína Hricová from the Internal Medicine Clinic of the 2nd Faculty of Medicine of the University of Warsaw and the Motol Medical School.
Press Release: TZ_Breakthrough diabetes drug reveals its further potential
