The risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is significantly increased, which is the primary cause of death. Recent studies have shown that novel hypoglycemic drugs such as sodium-glucose linked transporter 2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists have been proven to have cardiovascular protective effects through cardiovascular outcome trials. This article reviews the improvement effects of these drugs on cardiovascular outcomes and explores their possible mechanisms, such as improving myocardial metabolism and reducing inflammatory reactions, providing a reference for optimizing hypoglycemic regimens.