Dear Colleagues,

The effective management of cardiac risk factors is a pivotal step, given that cardiovascular disease stands as a leading contributor to illness and mortality. Despite the continuous advancement of interventional technologies, medical therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment. Notably, Glucagon Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RA) have demonstrated significant efficacy, not only in diabetes management but also in achieving substantial weight loss. Obesity remains a pervasive and inadequately addressed pandemic. It directly or indirectly predisposes individuals to numerous cardiac risk factors, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diminished functional capacity, and an increased susceptibility to heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias.

Sodium Glucose co-Transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors have shown merit in diverse cardiac conditions, such as in the prevention of myocardial infarction in patients with atherosclerosis, improving the outcomes in heart failure cases with reduced and/or preserved left ventricular function, reducing mortality rates, and decreasing hospital admissions due to heart failure. Conversely, while GLP-1 RA have garnered recommendations for patients dealing with diabetes and cardiovascular atherosclerosis, their role in addressing other cardiac conditions remains a subject of ongoing debate.

It is worth noting that both GLP-1 RA and SGLT-2 inhibitors are under-utilized in the overall treatment of diabetic and cardiovascular patients. Furthermore, the emerging results of combination therapy involving GLP-1 RA and SGLT-2 inhibitors hold promise, shedding light on the expanding potential of GLP-1 RA in an era where SGLT-2 inhibitors have already established their value in cardiology.

Prof. Robert J. Chilton and Dr. Badr Harfouch
Guest Editors