Certified Diabetes Educator Practice Exam

Empagliflozin and canagliflozin are both SGLT2 inhibitors that have been studied extensively in clinical trials and have demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Empagliflozin was specifically highlighted in the EMPA-REG OUTCOME study, which showed that it not only improved glycemic control but also provided cardiovascular benefits, particularly in reducing both cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Similarly, canagliflozin has been supported by results from the CANVAS and CREDENCE trials, which indicated that it also lowers the risk of cardiovascular events and reduces the risk of cardiovascular death.

The other options include medications that do not have evidence supporting a significant decrease in cardiovascular death in the same way. Dapagliflozin, while it has some cardiovascular benefits, is not as prominently linked to a mortality benefit as empagliflozin and canagliflozin when specifically discussing death from cardiovascular disease. Metformin and sitagliptin, while important medications for managing diabetes, are not classified as SGLT2 inhibitors and do not show the same cardiovascular protective benefits as empagliflozin and canagliflozin.