SGLT2 Inhibitors for Nephrologists

Abstract

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers are the mainstay of therapy for the prevention of progressive renal damage in diabetic and non-diabetic kidney diseases, especially glomerulonephritides. Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors are a relatively new class of oral antidiabetic drugs. Early evidence suggests that there are renal and cardiovascular benefits of this class of drugs that extend beyond glycaemic control for patients both with and without diabetes. With each and every trial, the limit for the glomerular filtration rate has been set lower, making the drugs more suitable from the perspective of nephrologists. This drug class has the potential to become the mainstay of reno-protective strategies used by nephrologists, in addition to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers. This article reviews the evidence and reports that are already published regarding the use of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors to treat non-diabetic glomerular disease.