Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors and their nephroprotective potential
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Chronic kidney disease among patients with diabetes is on the rise. The sodium glucose co-transporters 2 inhibitors are a new class of glucose-lowering agents, which act through a novel mechanism by producing a decline in glucose reabsorption in the kidney, thereby increasing glucosuria and decreasing serum glucose levels. Data suggest that they possess nephroprotective properties. It is noteworthy that the efferent glomerular arteriole is 10 - 100 times more sensitive to the vasoconstrictive properties of angiotensin II than the afferent one and this might account for the consequently higher intra-glomerular capillary pressure, which is believed to be the cornerstone of diabetic nephropathy. These drugs are demonstrated to restore intra-glomerular pressure by increasing angiotensin (1 - 7), which exerts vasodilatory and anti-inflammatory effects. In this review, the nephroprotective potential of this novel class of glucose-lowering drugs will be further discussed.
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