Dapagliflozin reduces the risk of hyperkalaemia in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction: a secondary analysis DAPA-HF

Abstract

Abstract Background Hyperkalaemia often limits the use of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), denying these patients a life-saving therapy. Purpose To determine whether treatment with the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor dapagliflozin reduces the risk of hyperkalaemia associated with MRA use in patients with HFrEF. Methods The risk of developing mild hyperkalaemia (potassium >5.5 mmol/L) and moderate/severe hyperkalaemia (>6.0 mmol/L) was examined in the Dapagliflozin And Prevention of Adverse-outcomes in Heart Failure trial (DAPA-HF) according to background MRA use, and randomized treatment assignment, by use of Cox regression analyses. Results Overall, 3370 (70.1%) patients in DAPA-HF were treated with an MRA. Mild hyperkalaemia and moderate/severe hyperkalaemia occurred in 182 (11.1%) and 23 (1.4%) patients treated with dapagliflozin as compared to 204 (12.6%) and 40 (2.4%) of patients given placebo (Table and Figure). This yielded a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.86 (0.70–1.05) for mild hyperkalaemia and 0.50 (0.29, 0.85) for moderate/severe hyperkalaemia, comparing dapagliflozin to placebo. Conclusions Patients with HFrEF and taking a MRA who were randomized to dapagliflozin had half the incidence of moderate/severe hyperkalaemia, compared with those randomized to placebo. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Private company. Main funding source(s): DAPA-HF study was funded by AstraZeneca