GLP-1s reduced mortality and complications from cardiovascular events, according to a study published Aug. 22 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism: A Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Researchers from Taiwan analyzed data from more than 3 million patients with obesity in the TriNetX Global Network between Jan. 1, 2016 and March 31, 2024. Of those patients, 12,123 individuals who received GLP-1 medication were matched with the same number of individuals who had not received it.
Patients who received the medication had a significantly lower risk of mortality, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, hypertension, stroke and atrial fibrillation, according to the study.
Jeffrey Wessler, MD, a cardiologist with New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health, shared his perspective on GLP-1s and patient adherence with Becker's earlier in August.
"There are certainly some downstream issues with GLP-1s," he said. "But for adherence, which is a prime issue for many cardiac medications that work really well in a clinical trial setting, that is not really an issue. People want to take it. It is really transforming how I think about managing an early stage cardiometabolic patient."