Exploring How Diabetes Drugs Can Treat and Reverse Heart Failure

Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage your blood vessels and heart. It is also found that people with type 2 diabetes are at greater risk of having a stroke or heart attack. These are the common causes of death for adults with diabetes. 

Insulin resistance acts as the mechanism linking diabetes and heart failure. Insulin resistance can also cause diabetes, which can, in turn, increase the risk of heart failure, which can worsen insulin resistance. And this becomes a vicious cycle for the patient. 

The good news is that some diabetes drugs, like Empagliflozin and Liraglutide, can treat and even reverse heart failure. Additionally, if you are looking for medications to control diabetes, you can buy victoza online at the best prices.

What is Heart Failure?

Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is a chronic, progressive condition that develops when the heart becomes too weak to pump properly and is not able to pump as much blood as it should normally. It can also occur when the heart is filled with insufficient blood to supply to other body organs. When this happens, the blood often backs up, causing fluids to fill in your lungs, liver, and other organs, thus causing shortness of breath. 

As per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 6.2 million adults have heart failure. It can occur all of a sudden or can develop over time. It may not cause symptoms right away. It can cause damage to your kidneys, which can make it life-threatening. Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped working; the heart keeps functioning, but the body’s requirement for blood and oxygen isn’t being fulfilled. 

In the year 2018, congestive heart failure (CHF) was mentioned as the cause of death in 379,800 death certificates. Death rate due to Heart failure is more common in some parts of the United States than others- like the Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, Indiana, Texas, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The fatality rate due to heart failure is also high in countries of South Dakota, Utah, Montana, Oregon, and Nebraska. 

What Are the Symptoms of Heart Failure?

Certain heart conditions can leave your heart too weak or stringent to fill and pump blood properly. These heart conditions include high blood pressure, obesity, coronary artery disease, valvular disease, and diabetes. Over time, such conditions may result in the heart’s attempt to restructure itself to overcompensate for its added workload by pumping more frequently or by making the heart walls larger and thicker. 

Symptoms of heart failure include:

• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat 
• Sweating or light-headedness
• Persistent cough or cough that brings up white or pink mucus with blood spotting
• Swelling in the belly area
• Loss of appetite, nausea, or indigestion
• Finding exercise exhausting
• Weakness
• Tiredness
• Weight gain 
• Swelling in the hand, ankles, or feet. 

Why Are Diabetics at Risk of Heart Failure? How Is It Diagnosed?

Having diabetes increases the chances of heart failure. As such, people are more likely to develop risk factors such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure, which increases the chances of a stroke or heart failure. Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to suffer a stroke or heart failure as compared to adults who don’t have diabetes. 

High blood sugar levels can damage the nerves and blood vessels that control your heart. So, if you have diabetes, you can protect your heart by controlling your blood sugar. You can decrease the chances of heart failure by managing your diabetes and early detection. Doctors diagnose people with diabetes for heart diseases, like stroke or heart failure, by the following methods- 

• Medical and family history 
• Symptoms
• Physical exam
• How likely are you to develop heart diseases
• Reports of tests like Blood pressure, cholesterol, and A1C. 

What Additional Factors Increase the Risk of Heart Failure If You Are Diabetic?

Regardless of whether they are diabetic or not, the risk of heart disease, such as heart failure or stroke, is greater for males as compared to females. But if you have diabetes, several factors might add to the risk of your heart failure. 

Smoking 

Smoking increases the risk of developing heart failure. If you have diabetes, then you are best suggested to stop smoking as both smoking and diabetes narrow your blood vessels and nerves. Smoking also increases your chance of developing other life-threatening diseases such as lung disease, cancer, and amputation. If you are unable to quit smoking by yourself, take the help of a medical professional. 

Belly Fat and Obesity

Being overweight and obese can increase the chances of many diseases, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart diseases. Having excess fat around your belly, even when you are not overweight, can increase the risk of developing heart diseases such as heart failure or stroke. You should eat healthy, take fewer calories, and regularly participate in physical activities. 

Chronic Kidney Disease

Heart diseases are also linked with chronic kidney disease, where your kidney is damaged and fails to filter blood the way it should. High blood sugar levels can slowly damage the kidneys over time, and their kidneys might stop filtering blood as they should, which will ultimately lead to chronic kidney disease. When someone has chronic kidney disease, their heart has to pump harder to get blood to the kidneys. 40% of diabetic patients are at the risk of developing chronic kidney disease.

Family History of Heart Disease 

If one or more of your family members got a heart attack before the age of fifty, you may have double the chances of developing the condition as compared to people who have no such medical history. In addition, if you have diabetes, you should take more precautions to protect yourself from the risk of heart failure and decrease your chances of such diseases.

High Blood Pressure 

If you have high blood pressure, your heart must pump blood more frequently and strongly. High blood pressure can damage your heart, blood vessels, and nerves. It can also increase the chances of a stroke or heart failure. Apart from developing heart conditions, it can cause eye or kidney problems. So, it is necessary to regularly check your blood pressure and consult your doctor to regulate it. 

High Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol present in the body, LDL or bad cholesterol and HDL or good cholesterol. Bad cholesterol can build up in your body and block your blood vessels. Having them in higher amounts can increase your chances of developing heart disease. On the other hand, having HDL can lower your chances of heart failure or stroke. To regulate the amount of HDL and LDL cholesterol in your body, you should limit your fat intake, keep more plant-based meals in your diet, and indulge in regular physical activities. 

New Study from Clinical Trial “Empatropism” Shows Promising Results 

The research was supported by an independent grant from Boehringer Ingelheim, who provided both financial and drug support for the study.  For the clinical trial known as “EMPATROPISM,” researchers selected 84 patients who were 18-85 years of age with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. They divided them into two random groups where they treated one group with 10 milligrams of Empagliflozin drug daily and the other took a placebo effect. 

The treatment continued for six months. The patients taking the medications were feeling better within a few weeks of taking them. It is also important to note that the patients who underwent a placebo showed no improvement. Those patients either stayed the way they were at the treatment’s onset or their condition worsened. They had a diminished ejection fraction, and their hearts were more dilated and thicker than earlier. There was also a noticeable change in the shape of their heart. 

After the duration of treatment, the patients underwent the same tests that they took six months ago- an MRI test, a 6- 6-minute walk test, and a test to determine their oxygen levels. The clinical trial suggests that Empagliflozin can improve the heart’s structure and function for diabetic and non-diabetic patients. It was also suggested that the drug helps maintain a good quality of life, leading to better health with little to no side effects. This will reduce the hospitalization rate for patients with heart failure. 

Although this drug was initially formulated to help diabetic patients, they are also effective in assisting non-diabetic patients. The researchers also noticed that the drug is not causing low blood sugar levels in non-diabetic patients. The results of this study were presented on November 13th at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2020. The reports were simultaneously published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 

How Can Diabetes Drug Treat and Reverse Heart Failure?

There are two classes of type two drugs that have received approval to treat heart diseases like heart failure and stroke: 

1. Empagliflozin– It belongs to a category of drugs called sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors prescribed for use with exercise and diet to manage diabetes in adults with type 2 diabetes. It reduces blood sugar levels by causing the kidney to excrete excess glucose through urine. They also reduce the risk of heart failure by stopping the fluid from building up in the body.
2. Liraglutide– It is an injectable drug that belongs to the glucagon-like peptide one receptor agonists, which help your pancreas release the proper amount of insulin required to keep your blood sugar under control. It also makes you feel full for longer and reduces food noise and appetite. It helps you lose and maintain weight, reducing the risk of heart failure. 

Both the medications, Empagliflozin and Liraglutide, are approved to treat and reverse heart failure for diabetic patients. Consult your doctor if you have diabetes and want to know if these medications are right for you. 

Other Alternatives to Treat Heart Failures

• Taking medications on time.
• Reducing salt in the diet
• Intake of lesser fluids 
• Using devices that reduce excess salt or sugar in your blood 
• Having a heart transplant 
• Regular exercise and physical activity 

Conclusion 

Heart failure is a serious, life-threatening condition that currently has no cure. However, based on your medical and biological history, physical examination, and blood test report, your doctor will diagnose the type of diabetes and suggest treatment accordingly. You can also reduce the risk of developing heart failure by making healthy lifestyle changes, like taking a proper diet, making physical activity a part of your daily routine, getting enough sleep, and reducing stress levels.

But if you want to buy diabetes drugs like Empagliflozin and Liraglutide from the best Canadian online pharmacy, head to our store and Visit Polar Bear Meds to learn more about the medications used in diabetes control and prevention of heart failure. In case of any doubt, drop us a message in the comments below.