prescribed dapagliflozin even though feeling good

[Bigbrian]

hi all, I have been on entresto top dose for 3 years and bisoprolol and eplerenone as well as CRTd fitted also, my cardiologist has recommended I try dapagliflozin also, it’s been shown to give good results on people without diabetes, which I don’t have, and EF under 40. My EF is 50-55.

Has anyone been in the same position as me and how did it help if at all ?

[Buddy00]

Im on quite a few medications and was put on dapagliflozin recently after my last echocardiogram. My ejection fraction is 45/50 . I felt okay just a bit breathless at times. The cardiologist said the dapagliflozin will help take some of the strain off the heart.

[Letsallhope1]

hello Bigbrian,

I am in a similar situation: my EF was around 40% and was feeling most days very tired, I have been put on Entresto about a year ago (now stable on the middle dosage) and my EF has climbed up to 50-55 and most importantly I feel so much better.

Then, to my surprise, I was told to start on dapagliflozin as well, I was explained and also read about it, that it is given to lower risks of sudden death or hospitalisation in heart failure patients.

I’ve been on it for about 6 months now and I’m tolerating it, the only thing that I’ve found interesting but also a bit unsettling is that I’ve been recently in hospital for a nasty eye infection which required a week of IV antibiotics and I was taken off this drug because apparently it is not good when you’re fighting infections. Unfortunately I didn’t have the chance to discuss this properly and once I was out of hospital I was asked by my cardiologist to go back on it. It will definitely be a question on my next outpatient cardiac appointment.

[Bigbrian in reply to Letsallhope1]

hello

Thanks for reading my story, my entresto journey has been fab, toleration of dapagliflozin has been fine, no problems. So feeling great, I wonder how it would have affected my life had I been on it 40 years ago( though it wasn’t invented)

I tinker with taking the odd supplement, I’m currently taking iron supplements and feel and feel it’s made a difference to my energy levels, as well as 10000 steps a day also help.

Good luck

[Letsallhope1 in reply to Bigbrian]

Absolutely! keeping active is so important, I have my dog motivating me to go out for walks every day and since I’ve been feeling better, I walk for about 4km plus the daily chores etc. I feel like being born again.

I’m not anaemic so I don’t need iron supplements, I was also told by my cardiologist to avoid taking supplements if not needed as it is one more thing that our liver and kidneys need to process, I just eat healthily and include plenty of veggies, fruit and pulses.