Complications with diabetes

Patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of developing diseases of the heart, kidneys or eyes. New treatments can reduce this risk, but researchers still do not know precisely how they work, or whether different treatments can mutually reinforce each other’s beneficial effects.

A new type of medication, finerenone, has been shown in studies to protect the heart, kidneys and eyes in patients with type 2 diabetes. Another group of medications for diabetes, known as SGLT2 inhibitors, are already widely used, because they also give protection against heart and kidney disease. However, the effect of combining these two treatments has not been sufficiently studied.

“In this research project we will investigate whether finerenone provides greater protection in patients with type 2 diabetes who are also being treated with an SGLT2 inhibitor,” says Per Løgstrup Poulsen, clinical professor at the Steno Diabetes Center, Aarhus University hospital.
Participants will be selected by drawing lots, to receive either treatment with finerenone or a placebo (an ineffective treatment) for 32 weeks. During the trial, neither the participants nor the researchers will know who is receiving which treatment.

The project will investigate in particular whether finerenone can reduce the formation of scar tissue in the heart and improve the function of blood vessels. The results may contribute to a better understanding of the disease, and form a basis for future treatments that can prevent serious complications in patients with type 2 diabetes.