Prescribing trends of SGLT2 inhibitors among HFrEF and HFpEF patients with and without T2DM, 2013–2021

Abstract Background Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are recommended for treatment of heart failure (HF), regardless of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) status. However, limited data exist on SGLT2i prescribing in HF patients without T2DM or across HF subtypes. Methods This was a serial, cross-sectional study of US MarketScan commercial and Medicare claims (2013–2021). Prevalence of SGLT2i was calculated by calendar year among HFrEF and HFpEF patients and stratified by T2DM status. Results Among 218,066 HFrEF patients mean (SD): 54.9 (8.92) years; 66.4% male, the prevalence of SGLT2i use increased from 0.3 to 18.6%, while among 150,437 HFpEF patients 56.5 (7.77) years; 47.6% male, it rose from 0.5 to 9.9%. These increases were driven by the subgroup with comorbid T2DM. SGLT2i prevalence use ratios among patients with T2DM compared to those without decreased from > 100 in 2018 to 3.8 in 2021 among HFrEF patients, and from 83.1 in 2018 to 17.5 in 2021, coinciding with the publication of landmark trials and corresponding changes in clinical guidelines. Conclusions SGLT2i use rose rapidly following changes in guidelines but remained low among those without T2DM. By the end of the study, approximately 1 in 3 HFrEF and 1 in 5 HFpEF patients with T2DM were using an SGLT2i, compared to only 1 in 11 HFrEF and 1 in 85 HFpEF patients without T2DM. Future work identifying barriers with the uptake of GDMT, including SGLT2i, among HF patients is needed.