There is controversy within the medical community about giving SGLT2 medications (especially Jardiance and Farxiga) to treat diabetic patients in CKD.
For example, my PCP framed it this way: “Cardiologists like it because it is so effective against heart failure. Nephrologists don’t like it because it is believed to be harmful to the kidneys.” (The latter is based on data from almost a decade ago.)
Here’s a very informed point of view based on recent data…
“Take a moment to look at this picture, alluding to the tortoise and the hare fable.
As far as the preservation of kidney function is concerned, the tortoise wins again! An average SGLT2-treated patient will delay dialysis by 15 years if put on an SGLT2 inhibitor with a RAAS inhibitor (for hypertension).”
So, if we begin treating diabetic patients with SGLT2s, we can postpone kidney failure (ESRD) by as much as 15-20 years! We must educate nephrologists and PCPs about the benefits of SGLT2 medications!
Considering that most CKD patients are hypertensive or diabetic and both and both of these conditions lead to kidney and heart disease, the opinions among physicians in their treatment should NOT be a controversy. Rather, it should be coordinated and based on current data, based on facts, not myths.
Here is the graph summarizing the latest research. Please take a look at recent studies of SGLT2 efficacy and make sure your physicians are informed. I still get pushback from my nephrologists about this. They aren’t up on the latest.
I am a person with ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease) which means my kidneys don't work. Forty or so years ago that would have been a death sentence but today there is Dialysis which means I could be hooked up to a machine that would clean my blood as the kidneys should. Three days a week, I went to a dialysis center and had too very large needles stuck in my arm to remove and replace my blood as it passed through a process where it was cleaned and the fluid was removed, a process taking a little over four hours each time.
In November 2017, I received a kidney transplant from a deceased donor. My life went into overdrive. With a "new" functioning kidney, I no longer had to go to a dialysis center and my days were not open to be lived rather than recovering from dialysis which meant dialyzing for three days and resting for 4 days a week. I work full-time and often 50 hours per week. It is something I never imagined. I highly recommend it! HeeHee
I want to advance knowledge about dialysis and transplant so that others can learn from my experience and mistakes. We shouldn't have to reinvent the wheel, eh? There is so much to be learned and experienced about our predicament. There are vast resources available to support us and enrich our lives but many patients don't know about them. There are also many issues that we have to deal with whether we want to or not. So I blog about them in www.DevonTexas.com
All comments are confidential until I approve them. If you don't want your comment public, let me know and I will respect that. So, feel free to leave a comment.
I also blog in LegacyTales in WordPress if you are interested in the ramblings of a Old Man. Give a peek and let me know what you think. https://legacytales.wordpress.com/
Enjoy.
DevonTexas 