Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) Inhibitors: Antidiabetics Medications for Treating Diabetes

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a progressive disease, and most patients need to treat with monotherapy and combinations of oral hypoglycaemic drugs. At present about 500 million people worldwide are suffering from T2D. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors are a novel antidiabetic drug class that mediates epithelial glucose transport at the renal proximal tubules, inhibiting glucose absorption that result in glycosuria, modest weight loss and improve glycaemic control with a low risk of hypoglycaemia. These are used by T2D patients together with diet and exercise, either alone or in combination with other diabetes medicines. The main side-effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors are urinary tract and genital infections, as well as euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis. Some other probable adverse effects are lower limb amputations, risk of bone fractures, Fournier gangrene, male bladder cancer, female breast cancer, orthostatic hypotension, and acute kidney injury. This mini review explains aspects of SGLT-2 inhibitors with treatment procedures and side-effects.