Top in cardiology: Low SGLT2 inhibitor prescription rates; workplace stress and AF risk

Most patients who qualified for an SGLT2 inhibitor were not prescribed one, according to an analysis of more than 3 million U.S. adults.

SGLT2 inhibitor prescription rates were low among patients with a class 1a recommendation, with only 11.9% of patients in the diabetes cohort and 3.1% of patients without diabetes having received a prescription, according to researchers.

“The findings demonstrate an important gap in contemporary U.S. clinical care and highlight the need for interventions to address the shortfalls in optimal SGLT2 inhibitor prescription practice,” Jung-Im Shin, MD, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and colleagues reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

It was the top story in cardiology last week.

In another top story, researchers found that white-collar workers exposed to workplace psychosocial stress, defined as job strain and effort-reward imbalance, were at a significantly increased risk for atrial fibrillation.

Read these and more top stories in cardiology below:

SGLT2 inhibitors greatly underprescribed in patients who qualify for them

In an analysis of more than 3 million U.S. adults, most patients with a class 1a recommendation for SGLT2 inhibitors were not prescribed them, researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Read more.

Workplace stress could increase atrial fibrillation risk

Job strain and effort-reward imbalance in the workplace may put white-collar workers at increased risk for experiencing a heart arrhythmia, researchers reported. Read more.

Kidney, CV outcomes similar for SGLT2 inhibition vs. GLP-1s for diabetes

SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with similar renal and CV outcomes vs. GLP-1 receptor agonists for patients with diabetes, regardless of chronic kidney disease status, researchers reported. Read more.

High daily caffeine intake linked to prolonged elevation in BP, heart rate after exercise

Caffeine intake equivalent to about six cups of coffee per day was associated with prolonged increases in blood pressure and heart rate up to 5 minutes after physical activity, researchers reported. Read more.

Alzheimer’s risk altered by late-life high BP, antihypertensive treatment

Treating high blood pressure later in life may mitigate risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease among older individuals, according to a meta-analysis published in Neurology. Read more.