Use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors in acute heart failure: a practical guidance

Aims Heart failure (HF) is the most frequent cause of hospital admission among patients 65 years or older. Patients hospitalized for acutely decompensated chronic HF and 'de novo' acute heart failure (AHF) continue to experience unacceptably high post-discharge readmission and mortality rates. Methods and results Until recently, trials had failed to improve outcome in patients with AHF irrespective of ejection fraction with exception of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) that improved clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized for AHF in the Study to Test the Effect of Empagliflozin in Patients Who Are in Hospital for Acute Heart Failure (EMPULSE) and in the Effect of Sotagliflozin on Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Post Worsening Heart Failure (SOLOIST-WHF) trials. Conclusions This document reviews the potential utility of SGLT2i in patients hospitalized for AHF.

Automated summary

This article reviews the potential utility of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure, highlighting that besides SGLT2 inhibitors, other drugs have failed to improve the prognosis of AHF patients.