Vnitr Lek 2015, 61(2):175-178

Empagliflozin - the new representative of SGLT2 transporter inhibitors for the treatment of patients with diabetes 2 type

Martin Prázný^1,*, Jiří Slíva²

¹ III. interní klinika 1. LF UK a VFN, Praha, přednosta prof. MUDr. Štěpán Svačina, CSc.

² Ústavy farmakologie 2. a 3. LF UK, Praha, prof. MUDr. Jan Bultas, CSc.

Empagliflozin is a new medicine used to reduce hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. It belongs to the most advanced class of antidiabetic drugs, known as gliflozins, which prevent reabsorption of glucose through inhibiting SGLT2 sodium-glucose cotransporter. Thereby they cause therapeutic glycosuria, thanks to which a loss of approximately 70 g of glucose per day occurs. This not only effects the decrease in glycemia, but also the loss of body mass, since this excreted glucose cannot be used as an energetic substrate. The studies within phase 3 have proven the therapeutic efficacy of empagliflozin in monotherapy, in combination with the other oral antidiabec drugs and insulin. Another favourable effect of empagliflozin is a slight decrease in blood pressure. In May 2014, empagliflozin was approved for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes within the European Union 2014, since October 2014 it has been available in the Czech Republic and since 1 February 2015 empagliflozin (under the trade name Jardiance®) has been partially covered by the health insurance for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes either in combination with metformin or in combination with insulin (with or without metformin).

Keywords: empagliflozin; glycosuria; hyperglycemia; T2DM; type 2 diabetes mellitus

Received: February 19, 2015; Published: February 1, 2015  Show citation