Impact of in-hospital initiation of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction

Abstract Introduction Safety and early clinical benefit make sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT-2i) therapy suitable for in-hospital initiation in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Despite randomized controlled trials and guideline recommendations, they are underused and clinical inertia may play a role. Objectives Primary: To assess the impact of initiating SGLT-2i at discharge on 90-day prescription rates in patients with HFrEF during hospitalization for acute heart failure (AHF). Secondary: To evaluate the presence of contraindications at discharge and the independent factors associated with in-hospital prescription, and to assess clinical outcomes at 90 days. Methods Retrospective analysis of a consecutive prospective single-center cohort. Adult patients hospitalized between January 2021 and October 2022 with a primary diagnosis of AHF and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40% were included. Patients who underwent heart transplantation during hospitalization, used SGLT2i before admission, died or were referred during the index hospitalization were excluded. Those who started SGLT-2i before or at discharge were compared with those who did not. The primary outcome was SGLT-2i prescription rate at 90 days, and the exploratory secondary endpoints was the composite of hospitalization or urgent visit for AHF or all-cause mortality at 90 days. Independent factors associated with inpatient SGLT-2i prescription were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Results Among 378 patients with documented HFrEF, 240 (64%) met the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 76±11 years, 75.4% were male and the mean LVEF was 25±13%. SGLT-2i was indicated during hospitalization in 31.6% of patients. A total of 86% of the cohort had a 90-day follow-up, and the SGLT2i prescription rate was 94.2% in those with in-hospital initiation and 14.4% in those without (p<0.001). Among those without contraindications at discharge (n=141), the independent factor associated with inpatient prescription was lower age, OR 0.96 (0.93-0.99) for each year. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups for the combined endpoint of all-cause death, HF rehospitalisation or unplanned HF visit at 90 days (p=0.3). Conclusions In-hospital initiation of SGLT-2-i was associated with significantly higher prescription rates 90 days after discharge, without differences in death from all causes and hospitalization or urgent visit for AHF at 90 days. This study reflects the presence of medical inertia, particularly in older patients. It also highlights the hospitalization period as an optimal time to start SGLT-2i and achieve the proven clinical benefits that accumulate rapidly over weeks, with solid safety and tolerability.