The landscape of diabetes management has changed, such that the goal of pharmacotherapy extends beyond glucose-lowering to prioritize risk reduction of cardiovascular disease and diabetic kidney disease. Two newer classes of medications, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2-Is), have become first line therapies for many patients with type 2 diabetes to reduce cardiovascular and renal complications of type 2 diabetes. This review article will describe the mechanism of action, evidence for cardiovascular and kidney outcomes, contraindications, adverse effects, and risk mitigation strategies for the GLP-1 RA and SGLT2-I drug classes. In addition, we will provide a practical approach for primary care clinicians to prescribe, adjust, and combine these medication classes, while considering patient preference, tolerability, comorbidities, cost, and availability.
Keyphrases
- cardiovascular disease
- type diabetes
- primary care
- climate change
- rheumatoid arthritis
- blood glucose
- healthcare
- wild type
- case report
- wound healing
- risk factors
- palliative care
- open label
- randomized controlled trial
- adverse drug
- adipose tissue
- smoking cessation
- blood pressure
- systemic sclerosis
- idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
- insulin resistance
- interstitial lung disease
- electronic health record