Study Suggests Diabetes Drug May Cut Heart Failure Risk in Cancer Patients by 50%

New Delhi: A widely used diabetes medication may help lower the risk of heart failure in cancer patients by 50% and improve long-term recovery, according to new research published on Thursday.

Heart failure is a common complication among cancer patients, significantly impacting quality of life, increasing hospitalizations, and potentially leading to fatal outcomes. This condition arises due to both the disease itself and chemotherapy, which is a primary treatment for cancer.

Researchers from the University of East Anglia, UK, have found that SGLT2 inhibitors, a class of diabetes drugs, may offer protective benefits for the heart during and after cancer treatment. Their study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, indicates that these medications can reduce the risk of heart failure and unplanned hospital admissions related to heart conditions by over 50%.

The findings were particularly promising for breast cancer patients undergoing anthracycline chemotherapy, a widely used treatment known to have adverse effects on heart health.

Lead researcher Prof. Vassilios Vassiliou emphasized the importance of chemotherapy in improving cancer survival rates but acknowledged its potential to cause long-term heart issues. “Up to 20% of cancer patients who have undergone chemotherapy develop heart complications, with nearly 10% experiencing heart failure,” he said.

SGLT2 inhibitors are already recognized for their cardiovascular benefits, including improving symptoms of heart failure such as breathlessness and fatigue while also reducing the risk of frailty. Given these advantages, the research team aimed to determine whether these drugs could safeguard heart health during cancer treatment.

By analyzing data from 13 studies involving a total of 88,273 cancer patients and survivors, the researchers found that hospital admissions due to heart failure were cut by half. Additionally, the incidence of new heart failure cases appeared to decrease by 71%, suggesting these drugs may provide significant cardioprotective effects.

Despite these encouraging results, the researchers stressed the need for further studies to confirm their findings and determine the broader applicability of SGLT2 inhibitors in cancer care. If validated, this discovery could pave the way for integrating diabetes medications into cancer treatment protocols to mitigate heart-related complications.