Benefit and Safety of Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitors in Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

People with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and premature death than people without diabetes. Therefore, treatment of diabetes aims to reduce these complications. Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have shown beneficial effects on cardiorenal and metabolic health beyond glucose control, making them a promising class of drugs for achieving the ultimate goals of diabetes treatment. However, despite their proven benefits, the use of SGLT2 inhibitors in eligible patients with T2DM remains suboptimal due to reports of adverse events. The use of SGLT2 inhibitors is particularly limited in older patients with T2DM because of the lack of treatment experience and insufficient long-term safety data. This article comprehensively reviews the risk-benefit profile of SGLT2 inhibitors in older patients with T2DM, drawing on data from prospective randomized controlled trials of cardiorenal outcomes, original studies, subgroup analyses across different age groups, and observational cohort studies.