Hope for the Heart: Experts say heart failure is treatable if caught early

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A panel of experts discuss how the approval of AstraZeneca’s Dapagliflozin as a treatment option can make a difference in the lives of thousands of Filipinos. 

(Photo clockwise from above left: Dr. Cyril Tolosa, Head of Medical Affairs, AstraZeneca Philippines, Dr. Erlyn Demerre,  Professor David Sim, Lotis Ramin, Country President, AstraZeneca Philippines, Dr. Alberto Pamplona Jr., Dr. Norbert Uy) 

 

(Manila, Philippines)  Heart failure, commonly called “pumapalyang puso”, affects thousands of Filipinos and approximately 64 million people worldwide, with half of patients dying within five years of diagnosis 1, 2, 3, 4. 

 

Patients with heart failure experience physical and emotional symptoms. It limits their activities resulting to poor quality of life. Even when resting, some patients start experiencing shortness of breath and feeling gets heavier and heavier each day. Everyday activities are getting harder making them feel very vulnerable and hopeless. Many patients have shared that they feel as if they are merely waiting for death and feel guilty about placing a huge economic and emotional burden on their families. 

The good news is that heart failure can be treated and even prevented. To raise conversation and awareness, AstraZeneca Philippines hosted a panel of experts from the Philippines and around the world to discuss the latest developments on heart failure. 

According to Professor David Sim, President of the Heart Failure Society in Singapore, 9 million people in Southeast Asia have heart failure with an overall 15% mortality rate 5,6. However, pharmacological options for heart failure have increased over the last decade and guideline-directed heart failure pharmacotherapy cumulatively reduces mortality by 76% 7.  He highlighted “The approval of dapagliflozin for the treatment of HFrEF in Philippines is a major step forward  in the battle against the disease burden of heart failure. Together with the current standard of care, dapagliflozin will contribute further  to a lower mortality , less heart failure hospitalization and importantly a better quality of life for the patients suffering from heart failure”.

Professor Piotor Ponikowski of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology added that "heart failure is becoming a preventable and treatable disease, with medication that allows patients to live longer and live better outside of the hospital.” 

 

These current developments in the treatment options bring hope to Filipinos diagnosed with heart failure. With the approval of AstraZeneca’s Dapagliflozin as a treatment option for heart failure, Filipinos can now avail of medication that can mitigate the disease. 

 

In his presentation on Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse-outcomes in Heart Failure Trial (DAPA HF) Trial: A New Era in Heart Failure Management, Professor Piotr Ponikowski says “Dapagliflozin has the ability to reduce mortality, prevent hospital admission, improve clinical status, functional capacity, and quality of life.” 

 

As such, to further work towards improved quality care in the Philippines, AstraZeneca also announced a partnership  with the Philippine Heart Association (PHA)  to elevate the standardized care and quality improvement efforts for heart failure to promote better awareness, management and options for patients. 

 

Lotis Ramin, AstraZeneca Philippines Country President says, 

“During this COVID-19 pandemic, people with heart failure are among those at higher risk of complications. Proper disease management will help improve the condition and avoid hospitalization. With the approval of Dapagliflozin for use in adult patients suffering from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, , we are proud to give hope to the numerous Filipinos affected by heart failure.  Through our partnership with PHA, we aim for a comprehensive cardiovascular care program from prevention, timely diagnosis, and management of symptoms for heart failure to create a meaningful difference in the lives of Filipinos.”  

 

Do not delay. Get an early diagnosis and begin treatment. Start a conversation on heart failure with your doctor today.  

 

About Dapagliflozin  

Dapagliflozin is the first and only drug under the sodium glucose transport protein 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i)  class approved to treat heart failure in adult patients with reduced ejection fraction (pumapalyang puso). 10,11,12 It is the only SGLT2i proven to significantly prevent cardiovascular death and death due to other causes in these heart failure patients.9   

 

This approval was based on the landmark trial Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse-outcomes in Heart Failure Trial (DAPA HF) 1.  It is the first outcomes trial with an SGLT2 inhibitor investigating the treatment of Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).1 The results showed a reduction of 26% in the occurence of cardiovascular death, hospitalization for heart failure (hHF) and Urgent Hospital Visit for heart failure (HF) along with a 30% reduction in hHF. 1 Dapagliflozin’s significant 18% reduction in cardiovascular death and 17% reduction on death due to other causes which were only seen in the DAPA HF study. 9 

 

Dapagliflozin has offered an additional treatment option for patients suffering from the symptoms of heart failure and are at risk of dying given the high mortality rate of the disease. Safety findings in patients were consistent with the well established safety profile of Dapagliflozin in previous studies.  It is consistent regardless of age, gender, severity of heart failure, diabetes status and kidney function1. Dapagliflozin was well tolerated and adverse event rarely led to the discontinuation of treatment1,8.  

 

In the Philippines, Dapagliflozin is now approved for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in adult patients. Dapagliflozin is a prescription medicine.10 Patients should not selfmedicate and should consult their physicians regarding their condition and treatment. 

 

About AstraZeneca  

 

AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas - Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit astrazeneca.com and follow the Company on Twitter @AstraZeneca. 

 

References 

 

1. McMurray JJV et al. Dapagliflozin in Patients with Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction. N Engl J Med 2019. 

2. Mayo Clinic. Heart failure; 2017 [cited 2019 Aug 14]. Available from: URL: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-failure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373142. 

3. Vos T et al. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 328 diseases and injuries for 195 countries, 1990–2016: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet 2017; 390(10100):1211–59. 

4. Mozaffarian D et al. Circulation. 2016 Jan 26;133(4):e38-360 and the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_heart_failure.htm. 

5. Mamas MA et al. Do patients have worse outcomes in heart failure than in cancer? A primary carebased cohort study with 10-year follow-up in Scotland. Eur J Heart Fail 2017; 19(9):1095–104. 

6. Azad N, Lemay G. Management of chronic heart failure in the older population. J Geriatr Cardiol 2014; 11(4):329–37. 

7. Study done by National University Health Center (NUHCS)   &Regional and ethnic differences among patients with heart failure in Asia: the Asian sudden cardiac  death in heart failure registry Eur Heart J. 2016;37(41):3141-3153. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehw331 

8. Petrie MC, Verma S, Docherty KF, et al. Effect of dapagliflozin on worsening heart failure and cardiovascular death in patients with heart failure with and without diabetes. JAMA. 2020;323:13531368. 

9. Zannad, Faiez et al. SLGT2 inhibitors in patients with heart failjure with reduced ejection fraction: a meta-analysis of the Emperor-Reduced and Dapa HF Trial. www.thelancet.com Published online August 30, 2020 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31824-9 

10. Dapagliflozin (Forxiga TM) Full Prescribing Information. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Phils. Inc. January 2021. 

11. Canagliflozin (Invokana TM) Full Prescribing Information. Jansenn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Revised 2020. 

12. Empagliflozin (Jardiance TM) Full Prescribing Information. Boehringer Ingelheim International. Revised 2020. 

 

 

 

Health : A holistic approach to diabetes treatment can save your future

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Be active, eat right and stay healthy! Eating right is important to staying at a healthy weight and keeping an energy balance the balance between the calories in what you eat and drink, and calories you burn when moving.

Physical activity, along with a healthy diet, helps prevent diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure, and other serious medical conditions.

Living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can be tough, requiring consistency, discipline, and a clear plan for achieving the treatment goals that doctors advise patients to pursue. And while standard medication can help get your blood sugar down, this only works if accompanied with lifestyle shifts such as healthy nutrition and physical activity.

Dr. Bobby Mirasol

“It was never an easy disease to begin with, early intervention comes alongside a deeper understanding of the need for comprehensive solutions for T2DM patients, comprising lifestyle adjustments as well as pharmacological treatment,” says Dr. Bobby Mirasol, Former President of Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PSEDM) & ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies (AFES).

Recent developments in the treatment of diabetes do however point toward a revolutionary new drug that reduces blood sugar while supporting weight loss and blood pressure reduction. It sounds simple enough on paper, but for the people who have to live through the struggle, the burden just got a whole lot lighter.

A shot at a sweeter life

Dapagliflozin is a novel treatment for type 2 diabetes that prevents the kidneys from absorbing sugar and releases excess glucose through the urine instead. Because of this mechanism, doctors may prescribe it on its own, or as a complementary drug that acts independently of insulin therapy.

In clinical trials, dapagliflozin performed at par with or slightly better than leading diabetes medications. According to the International Journal of Clinical Practice, the results strongly indicate a significant reduction of blood sugar throughout the spectrum of type 2 diabetes.

Available in the Philippines since 2014, dapagliflozin has been used to effectively treat more than 20,000 Filipinos with type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Rima Tan, President of Diabetes Philippines, believes that the drug’s far-reaching therapeutic value can give patients a fair shot at a better life.

Dr. Rima Tan

“Dapagliflozin has been lauded for a reducing blood sugar levels of patients with additional health benefits,” she says. “Patients routinely show weight loss and lower overall blood pressure, which is a great for patients struggling with the lifestyle adjustments necessary for managing type 2 diabetes.”

Patients are expected to maintain these benefits over time, and this allows patients to gradually ease into appropriate lifestyle changes. This generally promises a smoother therapeutic experience that’s both effective and ultimately empowering.

The low-down on diabesity

Interest in dapagliflozin has also been fuelled by the looming threat of diabesity, a comorbidity that is particularly common among Filipinos, and that amplifies the risk of developing complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, and blindness. 

Diabesity is a two-fold struggle that not only deals with type 2 diabetes, but also has a deep-seated relationship with obesity. The two are so closely intertwined that up to 85% of grossly overweight individuals end up developing type 2 diabetes in their lifetime, which in turn increases the chance of aggravating obesity depending on the type of medication taken.

Doctors however are hopeful that with the dapagliflozin, presently the only available SGLT2 treatment in the market in the Philippines, diabesity can be successfully addressed.

“It’s an uphill battle at first, but with the right support and dedication, diabesity is something we can all beat together,” says Dr.Mirasol. “While it’s amazing that we have a drug that finally addresses these particular facets of the diabetic experience, we should never forget the value of good old-fashioned support.”

A little help from our friends

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is among the biggest supporters of the fight against type 2 diabetes, going all out with the development of holistic diabetic care solutions covering practical health support from doctors, nutritionists, and physical fitness experts along with dapagliflozin treatment.

They have also lobbied for healthier lifestyle changes in patients with T2DM with activities like The Road to a Sweet Life that seek to couple drug treatment with the adoption of positive health habits like proper dieting, and adequate physical activity.

With these available innovative intervention and the multi-stakeholder approach, people with diabetes can now have better quality of life than ever before. 

“If you are living with diabetes, it’s important to make choices that keep you and your loved ones healthy,” says Dr. Emmanuel Arca, Associate Medical and Regulatory Affairs Director of AstraZeneca Philippines. “It will take concrete changes in lifestyle to bring great success in managing diabetes.”

For more information, visit www.astrazeneca.com