J Am Board Fam Med
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The landscape of diabetes management has changed, such that the goal of pharmacotherapy extends beyond glucose-lowering to prioritize risk reduction of cardiovascular disease and diabetic kidney disease. Two newer classes of medications, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2-Is), have become first line therapies for many patients with type 2 diabetes to reduce cardiovascular and renal complications of type 2 diabetes. This review article will describe the mechanism of action, evidence for cardiovascular and kidney outcomes, contraindications, adverse effects, and risk mitigation strategies for the GLP-1 RA and SGLT2-I drug classes. In addition, we will provide a practical approach for primary care clinicians to prescribe, adjust, and combine these medication classes, while considering patient preference, tolerability, comorbidities, cost, and availability.
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Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a commonly seen clinical entity in the family physician's practice. This clinical review focuses on the pharmacologic management of chronic HFrEF. Special attention is paid to the classification of heart failure and the newest recommendations from the American Heart Association concerning the use of guideline-directed medical therapy. β blockers, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists are discussed in detail. The new emphasis on sacubitril-valsartan and SGLT2i's as therapies for HFrEF are reviewed, followed by a brief discussion of more advanced therapies and comorbidity management.