Most Commonly Used SGLT2 Inhibitor
Based on available evidence, empagliflozin and dapagliflozin appear to be the most commonly prescribed SGLT2 inhibitors globally, though specific market share data varies by region and indication. 1
Available SGLT2 Inhibitors
The SGLT2 inhibitor class includes five FDA-approved agents 1:
- Canagliflozin
- Dapagliflozin
- Empagliflozin
- Ertugliflozin
- Sotagliflozin
Real-World Prescribing Patterns
While the evidence provided does not definitively identify a single "most commonly used" agent with specific market share percentages, several key observations emerge:
Rapid Adoption Across the Class
- 96% of general practices increased SGLT2 inhibitor use between 2014-2016, demonstrating widespread class adoption 2
- Global prevalence of SGLT2 inhibitor prescribing reached 12% overall (95% CI, 11%-13%) across all indications 3
- Prescribing increased significantly after December 2020, reaching 20% versus 9% in earlier periods 3
Clinical Trial Influence on Prescribing
The EMPA-REG OUTCOMES trial (empagliflozin) was the first completed cardiovascular safety trial demonstrating reduced cardiovascular outcomes, which likely influenced early prescribing patterns 4. However, subsequent trials with dapagliflozin and canagliflozin have also demonstrated cardiovascular and renal benefits 5.
Important Caveats
Despite proven benefits, SGLT2 inhibitors remain significantly underprescribed, particularly in populations most likely to benefit (those with established cardiovascular disease or high cardiorenal-metabolic risk) 6. The evidence shows wide variability in prescribing patterns, with some practices using >200% of the national average while others lag behind 2.
The question of which specific agent is "most commonly used" cannot be definitively answered from the provided evidence, as no study directly compares market share or prescribing frequency between individual SGLT2 inhibitors. In clinical practice, the choice between agents is often driven by formulary considerations, regional availability, and specific FDA/regulatory approvals for different indications rather than meaningful clinical differences between agents 5, 7.