Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/Ks1j_yT6_Gs The drug dapagliflozin (DAP-AG-LI-FLOSIN), marketed as Farxiga (FAR-SIGA), which helps type 2 non-insulin dependent diabetics control their blood sugars, can help patients with heart failure as well.   The beneficial effect of Farxiga on heart failure has been known, but the new information from the international DECLARE-TIMI study is that the drug preferentially benefits those heart failure patients with a reduced ejection fraction of 45% or less, that is the sickest patients with the weakest heart pumping action. Farxiga helped these patients with the weakest hearts by reducing their need for hospitalization and their likelihood of dying from any causes by 38% and reduced their deaths from cardiovascular causes by 45%.  The drug also helped those with stronger hearts, but it only reduced their hospitalization and death rates by 12%. The drug is effective for diabetics by causing the kidneys to dump excess blood sugar into the urine and out of the body.  The drug’s abili