Why Your Doctor Prescribed a “Diabetes Drug” for Your Heart Failure

A diabetes drug that transformed heart failure treatment

You may have noticed that your doctor prescribed a medication ending in “-gliflozin” for your heart—even if you do not have diabetes. Why?

In this video, we explore the surprising story behind SGLT2 inhibitors, a class of medications originally developed to treat diabetes that has since transformed the treatment of heart failure. Large clinical studies revealed that these drugs do far more than lower blood sugar: they help people with heart failure live longer, feel better, and avoid repeated hospitalizations.

We begin by clearly explaining what heart failure is—and why it is not a single disease, but rather a group of conditions in which the heart cannot adequately supply the body with oxygen and nutrients. We then walk through how SGLT2 inhibitors support the failing heart through multiple mechanisms, including reducing fluid overload, lowering blood pressure, improving blood vessel function, supporting healthier heart muscle structure, and enhancing the heart’s energy efficiency.

You will also learn why these medications benefit patients with or without diabetes, and why cardiologists now consider them one of the most important advances in modern heart-failure therapy.

Whether you are a patient, caregiver, or simply curious about how heart medications really work, this video breaks down complex physiology into clear, understandable terms—without oversimplifying the science: https://youtu.be/_vQjhrbuos0