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Top stories in endocrinology: FDA OKs diabetes drug, fast tracks another for heart failure

The FDA recently approved the first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist for diabetes and granted fast track designation to dapagliflozin for worsening heart failure — these were among the top endocrinology stories last week.

Another popular story included the results of a head-to-head trial demonstrating that semaglutide was superior to canagliflozin in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

FDA approves first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist for diabetes

The FDA recently approved oral semaglutide, the first noninjectable GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, according to an agency press release. Read more.

FDA grants fast track designation to dapagliflozin for worsening heart failure

The FDA has granted fast track designation to the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin for reducing the risk for cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure among adults with heart failure with reduced or preserved ejection fraction, according to a press release from AstraZeneca. Read more.

Semaglutide bests canagliflozin in head-to-head type 2 diabetes trial

Adults with type 2 diabetes randomly assigned to a GLP-1 receptor agonist experienced a greater reduction in HbA1c and lost more weight than those assigned to an SGLT2 inhibitor in a head-to-head trial of the two drug classes, according to findings presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting and simultaneously published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. Read more.

Metformin prescribed to only half of patients with type 2 diabetes and CKD, newer medications less utilized

More health care providers prescribe metformin to patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease than other diabetes medications, with most prescriptions coming from primary care physicians, according to findings published in the Journal of Diabetes and its Complications. Read more.

Physicians must debunk potentially erroneous ideas about diabetes treatment plans for older adults

Contrary to management guidelines, older adults with type 2 diabetes may overemphasize additional health conditions and complications when participating in decisions to enhance or de-intensify therapy, according to findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Read more.