At this year’s European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress (27-30
August), AstraZeneca is sharing data from across its robust CVRM
portfolio including 19 abstracts and oral presentations, 8 of which are
from Forxiga (dapagliflozin) from both heart failure (HF) and chronic
kidney disease (CKD), and Brilinta (ticagrelor) 60 mg.
Of critical importance this year, ESC has updated its guidelines for the
treatment and management of HF. The updates for the first time recommend
sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, including
dapagliflozin, as first-line (1L) treatment for all HF with reduced
ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients to reduce mortality.
HF is often complicated due to managing interrelated diseases, such as
diabetes and CKD, and represents a significant clinical and economic
burden; 64 million people are living with HF worldwide, 15 million in
the EU (at least half of which have HFrEF). In 2012, the global cost of
HF was estimated to be $108 billion, with between 69% and 87% spent on
hospitalisations and inpatient care.
Dapagliflozin was the first SGLT2 inhibitor approved for the treatment
of HFrEF (2020), demonstrating a reduction in hospitalisations and
mortality in HF patients. It remains the first and only approved in CKD
and is now recommended (class 1 level A) as an integral part of Standard
of Care (SoC) for early treatment of patients with HFrEF to reduce the
risk of hypertensive heart failure (hHF) and death.
The abstracts being presented this year include data from pivotal PH III
trials, DAPA-HF and DAPA-CKD. These data show the beneficial effects of
dapagliflozin in the treatment of HFrEF (DAPA HF) and in the treatment
of CKD for patients with and without HF (DAPA-CKD).
Dapagliflozin is a ground-breaking treatment receiving approvals in
multiple markets around the world, (including the EU, US, UK, China,
etc.) for various indications, including HF, HFrEF, T2D, CKD, and is now
being considered for HFpEF as well.
AZ continues to follow the science with dapagliflozin, and to build upon
the growing body of evidence supporting its use across the spectrum of
CVRM diseases.