Emerging Cardiovascular Medications: From SGLT2 Inhibitors to Gene-Based Therapies — A Comprehensive Review

  • Unique Paper ID: 192879
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue: 9
  • PageNo: 3124-3137
  • Abstract:
  • Background During the last decade, the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has undergone substantial advancement. While earlier therapeutic strategies primarily focused on lipid lowering through statins and modulation of neurohormonal systems, recent developments have expanded treatment paradigms. Contemporary cardiovascular pharmacotherapy now incorporates agents that influence metabolic regulation, inflammatory pathways, and molecular targets that were previously not addressed in conventional care. Objective This review aims to critically analyze recently developed cardiovascular medications by consolidating current evidence related to their mechanisms of action, therapeutic outcomes, and safety profiles, thereby supporting informed and evidence-based clinical practice. Methods An extensive review of major cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs) published between 2017 and 2025 was undertaken. The analysis focused on emerging therapeutic classes including sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, anti-inflammatory agents, novel lipid-lowering drugs, and gene-based therapeutic strategies. Results Findings from pivotal clinical trials indicate that SGLT2 inhibitors, as demonstrated in studies such as DAPA-HF and EMPEROR-Reduced, reduce heart failure–related hospitalizations and cardiovascular mortality by nearly 25%, regardless of the presence of diabetes. GLP-1 receptor agonists, supported by outcomes from the SUSTAIN-6 and SELECT trials, significantly lower the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. PCSK9 inhibitors, confirmed through the FOURIER and ODYSSEY trials, along with the small interfering RNA therapy inclisiran, achieve profound reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with meaningful cardiovascular benefit. Evidence from anti-inflammatory studies such as CANTOS and COLCOT further reinforces the critical role of inflammation in atherosclerotic disease progression. Additional agents including bempedoic acid and icosapent ethyl address residual cardiovascular risk beyond standard lipid management. Moreover, early-phase CRISPR-based gene-editing studies initiated between 2024 and 2025 suggest promising long-term modulation of cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusions The advent of these innovative therapies signifies a paradigm shift in cardiovascular medicine —from broad risk-reduction strategies to precision-based, mechanism-oriented treatment approaches. Integrating these novel pharmacological options into clinical care may substantially enhance individualized cardiovascular disease prevention and management.

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{192879,
        author = {Anshu Suresh Gupta and Saniya Katakdhond and Harshada Jadhav and Yogesh Parihar and Jayesh Pawar},
        title = {Emerging Cardiovascular Medications: From SGLT2 Inhibitors to Gene-Based Therapies — A Comprehensive Review},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {9},
        pages = {3124-3137},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=192879},
        abstract = {Background During the last decade, the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has undergone substantial advancement. While earlier therapeutic strategies primarily focused on lipid lowering through statins and modulation of neurohormonal systems, recent developments have expanded treatment paradigms. Contemporary cardiovascular pharmacotherapy now incorporates agents that influence metabolic regulation, inflammatory pathways, and molecular targets that were previously not addressed in conventional care.
Objective This review aims to critically analyze recently developed cardiovascular medications by consolidating current evidence related to their mechanisms of action, therapeutic outcomes, and safety profiles, thereby supporting informed and evidence-based clinical practice.
Methods An extensive review of major cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs) published between 2017 and 2025 was undertaken. The analysis focused on emerging therapeutic classes including sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, anti-inflammatory agents, novel lipid-lowering drugs, and gene-based therapeutic strategies.
Results Findings from pivotal clinical trials indicate that SGLT2 inhibitors, as demonstrated in studies such as DAPA-HF and EMPEROR-Reduced, reduce heart failure–related hospitalizations and cardiovascular mortality by nearly 25%, regardless of the presence of diabetes. GLP-1 receptor agonists, supported by outcomes from the SUSTAIN-6 and SELECT trials, significantly lower the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
PCSK9 inhibitors, confirmed through the FOURIER and ODYSSEY trials, along with the small interfering RNA therapy inclisiran, achieve profound reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with meaningful cardiovascular benefit. Evidence from anti-inflammatory studies such as CANTOS and COLCOT further reinforces the critical role of inflammation in atherosclerotic disease progression.
Additional agents including bempedoic acid and icosapent ethyl address residual cardiovascular risk beyond standard lipid management. Moreover, early-phase CRISPR-based gene-editing studies initiated between 2024 and 2025 suggest promising long-term modulation of cardiovascular risk factors.
Conclusions The advent of these innovative therapies signifies a paradigm shift in cardiovascular medicine —from broad risk-reduction strategies to precision-based, mechanism-oriented treatment approaches. Integrating these novel pharmacological options into clinical care may substantially enhance individualized cardiovascular disease prevention and management.},
        keywords = {SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, PCSK9 inhibitors, anti-inflammatory therapy, gene editing, cardiovascular disease, precision medicine, inclisiran, bempedoic acid, icosapent ethyl},
        month = {February},
        }

Cite This Article

Gupta, A. S., & Katakdhond, S., & Jadhav, H., & Parihar, Y., & Pawar, J. (2026). Emerging Cardiovascular Medications: From SGLT2 Inhibitors to Gene-Based Therapies — A Comprehensive Review. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 12(9), 3124–3137.

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