Comparison of GLP-1 and SGLT2 diabetes medication: A quality improvement initiative

This quality improvement research project was undertaken to compare the efficacy of glucagon-like peptide agonist (GLP-1) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2) medications in the treatment of Type II Diabetes Mellitus. Literature review reveals that both these new medications have shown efficacy in lower A1c and weight in Type II diabetics but have not been studied in a head to head trial. The objective of this project was to determine if one of these medications provides more HgA1c lowering than the other. This information is be useful for practitioners when choosing the most appropriate treatment. This project was a retrospective chart review of 128 charts divided evenly between patients who had been prescribed GLP-1 medication or SGLT2 medications between the years 2013 and 2018. A1c was measured when the medication was initiated and then measured at three-month and six-month intervals for data comparison. Repeated measures of ANOVA were conducted and showed that both medications provided A1c and weight loss at 3-months that were similar (p=.000). At 6 months the GLP-1 medication group showed a more substantial drop in A1c levels than the SGLT2 medication group and was statistically significant (p=0.046). This project revealed that a GLP-1 medication lowered A1c more than SGLT2 medications at the end of 6 months. These findings indicate GLP-1 medication may be more efficacious than SGLT2 medication in achieving glycemic control for Type II diabetic patients.