Clinical implications of canagliflozin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a new class of antihyperglycemic agents that lower blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. SGLT2 inhibitors have an insulin-independent mechanism of action, acting to inhibit the reabsorption of glucose in the kidney, which leads to increases in urinary glucose excretion in individuals with elevated blood glucose levels. This article provides an overview of the role of the kidney in type 2 diabetes, describes the rationale for renal SGLT2 as a new target for glycemic control, and focuses on the clinical implications of incorporating the SGLT2 inhibitor canagliflozin into type 2 diabetes treatment regimens based on data from phase 3 studies.