How and why SGLT2 inhibitors should be explored as potential treatment option in diabetic retinopathy: clinical concept and methodology.
Marcus MayTheodor FramkeBernd JunkerCarsten FrammeAmelie PielenChristoph SchindlerPublished in: Therapeutic advances in endocrinology and metabolism (2019)
Patients suffering from type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of developing classical microvascular complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy, which represent a significant health burden. Tight control of blood glucose, blood pressure, and serum cholesterol reduce the risk of microvascular complications but effective pharmacologically targeted treatment options for the treatment and prevention of diabetic microangiopathy are still lacking. Pharmacological inhibition of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) might have the potential to directly protect against microvascular complications and could represent a potential treatment option. Randomized controlled clinical proof of concept trials are needed to investigate a potential central role of SGLT2 inhibitors in the prevention of diabetic microangiopathy and its classical clinical complications of retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy.
Keyphrases
- type diabetes
- blood glucose
- diabetic retinopathy
- blood pressure
- risk factors
- human health
- public health
- healthcare
- cardiovascular disease
- end stage renal disease
- adipose tissue
- ejection fraction
- risk assessment
- prognostic factors
- replacement therapy
- double blind
- wound healing
- hypertensive patients
- smoking cessation
- low density lipoprotein
- patient reported