Recruiting
Phase 2

SGLT2i & KNO3

Sponsor:

University of Pennsylvania

Code:

NCT05138575

Conditions

Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Empagliflozin + Potassium Chloride

Empagliflozin + Potassium Nitrate

Potassium Chloride + Placebo for Empagliflozin

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study will test whether pharmacologic agents that may improve mitochondrial function and energy fuel metabolism \[Empagliflozin (Empa)\], with and without additional supplements that increase perfusion and fatty acid oxidation \[Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)\], improve submaximal exercise endurance and skeletal muscle oxidative phosphorylation capacity (SkM OxPhos) in participants with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF).

Conditions

Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Study ID

NCT05138575

Start date

Jan 24, 2022

Status verified date

Apr, 2026

Completion date

May 31, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

May 31, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion:

1\. NYHA Class II-III symptoms 2. Left ventricular ejection fraction >= 50% 3. Stable medical condition for at least 2 weeks, as per investigator judgment 4. Prior or current evidence for elevated filling pressures, as evidenced by at least one of the following:

a. Mitral early (E)/septal tissue annular (e') velocity ratio > 8, in the context of a septal e' velocity <=7 cm/s or a lateral e' <= 10 cm/s, in addition to one of the following: i. Large left atrium (LA volume index > 34 mL/m2) ii. Chronic loop diuretic use for control of symptoms iii. Elevated natriuretic peptides within the past year (e.g., NTproBNP > 125 pg/mL in sinus rhythm or > 375 pg/mL if in atrial fibrillation) b. Mitral E/e' ratio > 14 at rest or during exercise c. Elevated invasively-determined filling pressures previously (resting left ventricular end-diastolic pressure >= 16 mm Hg or pulmonary capillary wedge pressure >= 15 mmHg; or PCWP/LVEDP >= 25 mmHg with exercise) d. Prior episode of acute heart failure requiring IV diuretics

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Age <18 years old
2. Pregnancy: Women of childbearing potential will undergo a urine pregnancy test during the screening visit.
3. Treatment with organic nitrates or phosphodiesterase inhibitors that cannot be interrupted
4. Uncontrolled atrial fibrillation, as defined by a resting atrial fibrillation heart rate > 100 beats per minute at the time of the baseline assessment
5. Hemoglobin < 10 g/dL
6. Subject inability/unwillingness to exercise
7. Moderate or greater left sided valvular disease (mitral regurgitation, aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation), mild or greater mitral stenosis, severe right-sided valvular disease
8. Known hypertrophic, infiltrative, or inflammatory cardiomyopathy
9. Clinically significant pericardial disease, as per investigator judgment
10. Current angina due to clinically significant epicardial coronary disease, as per investigator judgment
11. Acute coronary syndrome or coronary intervention within the past 2 months
12. Primary pulmonary artery hypertension (WHO Group 1 Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension)
13. Clinically significant lung disease as defined by: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Stage III or greater GOLD criteria (FEV1<50%), treatment with oral steroids within the past 6 months for an exacerbation of obstructive lung disease, current use of supplemental oxygen aside from nocturnal oxygen for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

\- Desaturation to <90% on the baseline maximal effort cardiopulmonary exercise test will also be grounds for exclusion
14. Clinically-significant ischemia, as per investigator's judgement, on stress testing without either (1) subsequent revascularization, (2) an angiogram demonstrating the absence of clinically significant epicardial coronary artery disease, as per investigator judgment; (3) a follow-up 'negative' stress test, particularly when using a more specific technique (i.e., a negative perfusion imaging test following a 'positive' ECG stress test)

\- Exercise-induced regional wall motion abnormalities on the echocardiographic assessment during the baseline maximal effort cardiopulmonary exercise test will also be exclusionary
15. Left ventricular ejection fraction < 45% on a prior echocardiogram or cardiac MRI, unless the reduced LVEF occurred within the context of an uncontrolled supraventricular arrhythmia, with return of a normal ejection fraction following treatment of the arrhythmia
16. Significant liver disease impacting synthetic function or volume control (ALT/AST > 3x ULN, Albumin < 3.0 g/dL)
17. eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73m2.
18. Methemoglobin > 5%
19. Serum potassium > 5.0 mEq/L on baseline testing
20. Type I Diabetes
21. History of ketoacidosis
22. Current use of, or prior intolerance to, an SGLT2i
23. Ongoing maintenance of a 'Ketogenic Diet' (low carbohydrate, high fat)
24. Allergy to beets
25. Severe right ventricular dysfunction
26. Baseline resting seated systolic blood pressure > 180 mmHg or < 100 mmHg
27. Persistently low or high seated blood pressure or orthostatic blood pressure response to the transition from supine to standing (>20 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure 2-3 minutes after standing, or a fall in SBP to < 90 mmHg) at the baseline visit
28. Active participation in another study that utilizes an investigational agent (observational studies/registries allowed)
29. Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, may interfere with the completion/performance of the study. This may include comorbid or psychiatric conditions that may impede successful completion of the protocol, or logistical concerns (e.g., inability to travel to the exercise unit).

Study Design

Enrollment

53 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Crossover

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

active comparator: Empagliflozin + Potassium Chloride (KCl)

Empagliflozin (10 mg daily) + Potassium Chloride (6 mmol three times daily)

Active arm will be 6 weeks in duration followed by a 2 week washout period.

active comparator: Empagliflozin + Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)

Empagliflozin (10 mg daily) + Potassium Nitrate (6 mmol three times daily)

Active arm will be 6 weeks in duration followed by a 2 week washout period.

placebo comparator: Potassium Chloride (KCl) + Placebo for Empa

Potassium Chloride (6 mmol three times daily) + Placebo for Empagliflozin

Placebo arm will be 6 weeks in duration followed by a 2 week washout period.

Interventions

Empagliflozin + Potassium Chloride

Empagliflozin is the active intervention that may improve mitochondrial function and energy fuel metabolism in skeletal muscle.

KCl is an active control.

Empagliflozin + Potassium Nitrate

Empagliflozin + KNO3 is the active intervention that may improve mitochondrial function and energy fuel metabolism in skeletal muscle, as well as increase skeletal muscle perfusion during exercise.

Potassium Chloride + Placebo for Empagliflozin

Active control.

Primary outcome measure

  • Submaximal Exercise Endurance [ Time Frame: Week 6 ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Locations

University of Pennsylvania Health System

Recruiting

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104

Contacts

More Information

Sponsor

University of Pennsylvania

Last update posted

Apr 16, 2026

Last verified

Apr, 2026

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-08. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Pennsylvania on 2026-04-16.