Accumulating data from recent studies has altered the gold standard of care for diabetes treatment. In patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and established cardiovascular disease (CVD) or those at high risk for CVD, subsequently to lifestyle changes and metformin therapy, the administration of an SGLT-2 inhibitor with established benefits for cardiovascular outcome (CVOT) should be considered. Areas covered: Tofogliflozin is the most selective SGLT-2 inhibitor and has been approved for the treatment of T2D in Japan. This review summarizes the available data on Tofogliflozin as compared to other SGLT-2 inhibitors, and primarily the three SGLT-2 inhibitors with published CVOT: Empagliflozin, Canagliflozin and Dapagliflozin. Expert opinion: Tofogliflozin's higher selectivity profile increases the positive effects on cardiovascular (CV) outcomes and death and reduces side effects. However, the clinical data on Tofogliflozin from both clinical and real-world studies remain sparse and much less abundant than the other main 3 SGLT-2 inhibitors, thus calling for caution and underscoring the need for further research.
Keywords: SGLT-2 inhibitors; Tofogliflozin; Type 2 diabetes; cardiovascular outcome; safety and efficacy.