Do DPP-4 Inhibitors Increase the Risk of Heart Failure?

The dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors saxagliptin and sitagliptin do not increase the risk of hospitalized heart failure in patients with diabetes, according to the results of a new study.

Previous research has suggested an elevated risk for hospitalized heart failure in patients taking the 2 DPP-4 inhibitors, but the results have been conflicting.
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To better understand the safety of these drugs, the researchers conducted a population-based, retrospective, new-user cohort study by searching 18 health insurance and health system databases in the US Food and Drug Administration’s Mini-Sentinel program.

Adults aged 18 and older with type 2 diabetes who began taking saxagliptin, sitagliptin, pioglitazone, second-generation sulfonylureas, or long-acting insulin products from 2006 to 2013 were included in the study.

Overall, 78,553 took saxagliptin and 298,124 took sitagliptin during the study period.

After an average 7- to 9-month follow-up, the researchers found that individuals taking saxagliptin and sitagliptin did not have an increased risk for hospitalized heart failure compared with patients taking other diabetes medications.

“In this large cohort study, a higher risk for [hospitalized heart failure] was not observed in users of saxagliptin or sitagliptin compared with other selected antihyperglycemic agents,” the researchers concluded.

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Toh S, Hampp C, Reichman ME, et al. Risk for hospitalized heart failure among new users of saxagliptin, sitagliptin, and other antihyperglycemic drugs: a retrospective cohort study [published April 26, 2016]. Ann Intern Med. doi:10.7326/M15-2568.