Knowledge domain and emerging trends on the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin for heart failure: a bibliometric analysis from 2012 to 2024

Dapagliflozin has been formally used to treat heart failure on the basis of extensive data from the DAPA-HF trial, and it now serves as a new quadruple cornerstone drug for heart failure. This study aimed to understand the global research hotspots and trends in dapagliflozin treatment for heart failure through bibliometric analysis and to provide directions for future research. All literature on dapagliflozin for heart failure was collected from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) between January 1, 2012, and January 1, 2024. Bibliometric analysis of the retrieved data was performed using CiteSpace and Bibliometrix (R package). A total of 919 publications were retrieved, involving 215 authors, 216 institutions, and 76 countries/regions. Since 2016, the annual number of publications on dapagliflozin for heart failure has demonstrated a consistent upward trend. The most prolific authors include Anna Maria Langkilde, Mikhail N. Kosiborod, and Scott D. Solomon. The top contributing countries were the United States, Sweden, and China, while the leading institutions were AstraZeneca, Harvard University, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Keyword analysis revealed that treatment for diverse heart failure subtypes, cardiorenal outcomes, combination therapies, and underlying mechanisms have emerged as prominent research foci. Based on our findings, future investigations are expected to focus on dapagliflozin’s therapeutic potential for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), particularly regarding combination therapy with novel non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs). Additionally, the mechanism underlying dapagliflozin’s anti-fibrotic effects requires further mechanistic investigation.