Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent disease with the severe clinical implications including myocardial infarction, stroke, and kidney disease. While therapies focusing on glycemic control in T2DM have largely failed to substantially improve cardiovascular and kidney outcomes, recent findings suggested that sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have beneficial cardiovascular and kidney-related effects.

On 18th July, 2022, a webinar organised by Diabetes Hong Kong titled “Heart and Kidney Protection in T2DM: Role of SGLT2 inhibitors” has been successfully organised. In the lecture, Dr. Alice YY Cheng of the University of Toronto presented long-term cardiovascular and renal outcomes upon various conventional treatments for T2DM. Essentially, she discussed the cardiovascular and kidney-related benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors in T2DM and the underlying mechanisms. Moreover, she presented the clinical recommendations on reducing the risk of cardiovascular events or chronic kidney disease progression in patients with T2DM. Summarising the presentation, Dr. Cheng advocated that SGLT2 inhibitors confer protection against cardiovascular and renal adverse events in patients with T2DM.

Discussion session was moderated by Dr. Tsang Chiu Chi (right)

Dr. Cheng highlighted the increased risk of cardiovascular and kidney-related complications

The underlying protective mechanisms conferred by SGLT2 inhibitors in T2DM

Established cardiovascular benefits of SGLT2 inhibitors reported in clinical studies

Dr. Cheng's advices on managing T2DM with SGLT2 inhibitors