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Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors Increase Risk for Falls in Patients With Diabetes

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 30, 2025.

via HealthDay

WEDNESDAY, April 30, 2025 -- Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor use is an independent risk factor for falls in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online March 17 in Scientific Reports.

Yasuhiro Suzuki, from University of Tsukuba in Japan, and colleagues examined the association of SGLT2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists with falls in patients with type 2 diabetes. The analysis included annual fall survey responses from 471 participants with a median age of 64 years during a median period of two years.

The researchers found that the overall fall incidence rate was 17.1 per 100 person-years. Fall history, SGLT2 inhibitor use, and age were independent fall predictors. For using SGLT2 inhibitors only or GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors combined, odds of falling were heightened (odds ratios, 1.80 and 2.89, respectively). However, the association was not significant for GLP-1 receptor agonists only.

"SGLT2 inhibitor use was an independent risk factor for falls, while GLP-1 receptor agonists' effects were not statistically significant. However, the combined use of SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists significantly increased the risk of falls," the authors write. "Therefore, it is important to consider this risk when prescribing these medications to people with type 2 diabetes."

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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