Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) position statement on the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors in type 1 diabetes

SGLT-2 inhibitors are currently neither licensed nor recommended in people with type 1 diabetes. The management of type 1 diabetes consists essentially of insulin treatment, monitoring and education. SGLT-2 inhibitors can be a useful adjunct to insulin treatment in improving glycaemic control. They may also potentially be helpful in reducing cardiovascular and renal complications in people with type 1 diabetes. However, further studies will be needed to establish this. SGLT-2 inhibitors can cause diabetic ketoacidosis and certain circumstances appear to increase this risk. They should therefore be used with caution all the time and only under specialist supervision. Higher amputation rates have been reported with some SGLT-2 inhibitors and hence they should be used with caution in patients with peripheral vascular disease.