Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism published graduate student Ghadeer Dawwas’ article about the safety and efficacy of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2, or SGLT2, inhibitors.
In the article, Dawwas, M.B.A., BSPharm, who works under the supervision of assistant professor Haesuk Park, Ph.D., in the department of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy, presents real-world evidence from a cohort study.
The study suggests that SGLT2 inhibitors are safe and effective in treatment of patients with type II diabetes. The study of approximately 200,000 patients found an absence of a higher risk of lower extremity amputations with SGLT2 inhibitors, a safety concern of interest by clinical practices.
Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2013, the inhibitors emerged as a promising treatment of type II diabetes that improves glycemic control while reducing blood pressure and body weight. The study found SGLT2 inhibitors are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases compared to DPP-4 inhibitors and sulfonylureas, as well as lower risk of lower extremity amputation compared to sulfonylurea in patients with type II diabetes.
“SGLT2 inhibitors continue to be a promising treatment of patients with type II diabetes based on the current study but we still have much to explore in this area,” Park said.
Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal focusing on pharmacology and therapeutics, assigned the article an impact factor of 6.7. UF College of Pharmacy researchers who led the study include Dawwas, Park and Steven Smith, Pharm.D., M.P.H.