A recent study has revealed that Sotagliflozin, a drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating type 2 diabetes, can also significantly lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. This finding came from an international clinical trial that involved over 10,000 participants and highlighted the drug’s additional benefits in reducing cardiovascular risks.

According to Gulf News, sotagliflozin functions as a sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) inhibitor, which blocks the activity of two proteins, SGLT1 and SGLT2. These proteins are responsible for moving glucose and sodium across cell membranes, thus aiding in blood sugar control. Notably, other SGLT2 inhibitors do not block SGLT1 to the same extent, making Sotagliflozin unique in its mechanism.

Deepak L. Bhatt, who is the Director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and a Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, emphasized that the results indicate a novel approach to reducing heart attack and stroke risks through the combined blockade of SGLT1 and SGLT2 receptors. He noted that the benefits observed with Sotagliflozin are different from those of other commonly used SGLT2 inhibitors, which are also prescribed for diabetes, heart failure, and kidney disease

According to Bhatt, Sotagliflozin was initially approved to lower the risk of cardiovascular-related deaths, hospitalizations for heart failure, and urgent heart failure visits among patients with heart failure or type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and other cardiovascular risk factors. The new findings suggest that the drug could lead to a decrease in heart attacks and strokes, potentially increasing its adoption in clinical settings.