Empagliflozin Increases Cardiac Energy Production in Diabetes

Authors: Subodh Verma, Sonia Rawat, Kim L. Ho, Cory S. Wagg, Liyan Zhang, Hwee Teoh, John E. Dyck, Golam M. Uddin, Gavin Y. Oudit, Eric Mayoux, Michael Lehrke, Nikolaus Marx, Gary D. Lopaschuk - JACC Basic to Translational Science 2018 cited by 376

mouse hearts perfused with 5 mmol/l glucose, 0.8 mmol/l palmitate, and 100 μU/ml insulin increased ketone oxidation rates, but did not decrease either glucose oxidation or fatty acid oxidation rates. The presence of ketones did not increase cardiac efficiency, but did increase ATP production rates, due to the additional contribution of ketone oxidation to energy production. The authors conclude that empagliflozin treatment is associated with an increase in ATP production, resulting in an enhanced energy status of the heart.