Skip to Main Content

College of Pharmacy

HelixTalk #197 - Sweet Deal of Updates in Diabetes Pharmacotherapy from the ADA 2026 Standards of Care

Date posted: April 3, 2026, 3:05 pm

In this episode, we discuss the most important annual updates in the American Diabetes Association Guidelines, Standards of Care 2026, particularly focusing on changes in pharmacotherapy recommendations and the supporting evidence.

Key Concepts

  1. A few existing agents now have ASCVD risk reduction data in patients with existing ASCVD or high indicators for ASCVD. They are oral semaglutide and tirzepatide. 
  2. SGLT2is are still first-line in patients with diabetes and HF including HFpEF, but SC semaglutide and tirzepatide are now recommended for those with symptomatic HFpEF and obesity due to positive outcomes in this population.
  3. The GLP-1RA and dual GLP-1/GIP RA are the preferred agents for weight management in patients with T2DM, but use of GLP-1RA can be considered for weight loss in patients with T1DM.
  4. The guideline also better defines recommendations for medication-induced hyperglycemia from immune checkpoint inhibitors, PI3Kɑ (phosphoinositidylinositol 3-kinase α) inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, and steroids. 

References

  • American Diabetes Association. Standards of care in diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care. 2026;49(suppl 1):S1-S377.
  • SOUL study. Darren K. McGuire, Marx N, Mulvagh SL, et al. Oral semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in high-risk type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2025;392(20):2001-2012. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2501006.
  • SURPASS-CVOT. Nicholls SJ, Pavo I, Bhatt DL, et al. Cardiovascular outcomes with tirzepatide versus dulaglutide in type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2025;393(24):2409-2420. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2505928.
  • SUMMIT. Packer M, Zile MR, Kramer CM, et al. Tirzepatide for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and obesity. N Engl J Med. 2025;392(5):427-437. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2410027.
  • STEP-HFpEF. Kosiborod MN, Abildstrom SZ, Borlaug BA, et al. Semaglutide in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and obesity. N Engl J Med. 2023;389(12):1069-1084. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2306963.
  • STEP-HFpEF DM. Kosiborod MN, Petrie MC, Borlaug BA, et al. Semaglutide in patients with obesity‑related heart failure and type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2024;390(15):1394‑1407. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2313917.