Abstract
Dapagliflozin si a highly selective SGLT 2 inhibitor that reduces hypoglycaemia through the potentiation of glycosuria. Its action is thus independent of the function of β – cells and completes the mechanisms of insulin – dependent anti-diabetic agents, with minimum risk of hypoglycaemia.
Clinical studies evaluating dapagliflozin both in monotherapy and in combination with metformin, a sulfonylurea derivative, pioglitazone or insulin demonstrated that dapagliflozin does not only decrease the values of glycosylated hemoglobin but also reduces bodily weight and blood pressure. In most of the studies, the risk of hypoglycaemias was similar to that associated with placebo, slightly more commonly recorded adverse effects included urinary and genital infections or back pain, polyuria or mild worsening of dyslipidaemia.
Dapagliflozin is a new, perspective anti-diabetic agent with complex mechanism of action and low risk of adverse effects that is undoubtedly going to improve the quality of anti-diabetic treatment.