A Practical Guide to the Use of Glucose-Lowering Agents With Cardiovascular Benefit or Proven Safety

Patients with type 2 diabetes continue to have a high residual risk for cardiovascular events despite intensive risk factor modification. Recent clinical trials have shown that the antihyperglycemic agents empagliflozin and liraglutide reduce cardiovascular events. Other drugs have been shown to have cardiovascular safety. With glucose-lowering agents proven to reduce adverse cardiovascular outcomes, many cardiologists have begun to prescribe or recommend glucose-lowering agents. Other cardiologists are not yet comfortable with this role because they are not accustomed to initiating these drugs. This document provides updated details of glucose-lowering agents associated with either proven cardiovascular benefit or safety, to help cardiologists to safely prescribe and monitor their patients with diabetes.