A new study published in Diabetes Care sheds light on the comparative risks of peripheral artery disease (PAD)-related surgical events—such as amputations, stent placements, or vascular surgeries—between two classes of diabetes medications: sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4i). Conducted among U.S. veterans, this retrospective cohort study analyzed over 150,000 episodes of medication use between 2000 and 2021, linked to comprehensive health data.
Key Findings:
• SGLT2i users experienced a higher adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for PAD-related surgeries compared to DPP-4i users (aHR 1.18, 95% CI 1.08–1.29).
• This increased risk persisted even when PAD events were tracked up to 360 days after discontinuing SGLT2i therapy (aHR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06–1.26).
• The study evaluated patients with a median diabetes duration of 10 years and median HbA1c levels of 8.4%.
Implications:
While SGLT2is are often favored for their cardiovascular and renal benefits, this research highlights a potential increased risk for PAD surgical events. Clinicians must weigh these risks against the benefits when tailoring diabetes care, particularly in high-risk populations.
To read the full study, visit Diabetes Care.
How do you think these findings could shape treatment strategies for patients with advanced diabetes? Share your thoughts! #DiabetesCare #SGLT2i #DPP4i #PAD
Very important to be consider in using this medication