Exploring heart failure events in contemporary cardiovascular outcomes trials in type 2 diabetes mellitus

INTRODUCTION: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and heart failure (HF) are closely related, with the onset of one serving as an independent risk factor for the development or progression of the other. The true impact of their relationship is poorly understood. Since various classes of glucose-lowering therapies have been shown to have differing impact on cardiovascular outcomes, cardiovascular effects of such therapies have been increasingly formally evaluated. Areas covered: With the increasing prevalence of concomitant HF and type 2 DM, HF outcomes serve as important endpoints in trials of glucose-lowering therapies. A thorough literature search of recent cardiovascular outcome trials of glucose-lowering therapies was performed. The authors focus on the availability and extent of ascertainment of data related to HF outcomes in these contemporary clinical trial experiences. Expert commentary: Although early cardiovascular outcome trials did not focus on HF events, these outcomes have been increasingly recognized as meaningful end points in cardiovascular outcome trials. The ascertainment of HF end point data needs to become routine and standardized.