Insights into the Roles of GLP-1, DPP-4, and SGLT2 at the Crossroads of Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolic Pathophysiology
Melania Gaggini, Laura Sabatino, Adrian Florentin Suman, Kyriazoula Chatzianagnostou, Cristina Vassalle
Abstract
In recent years, new drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D) have been proposed, including glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists or sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. Over time, some of these agents (in particular, GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors), which were initially developed for their glucose-lowering actions, have demonstrated significant beneficial pleiotropic effects, thus expanding their potential therapeutic applications. This review aims to discuss the mechanisms, pleiotropic effects, and therapeutic potential of GLP-1, DPP-4, and SGLT2, with a particular focus on their cardiorenal benefits beyond glycemic control.