GLP-1 medications reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 13% compared to a placebo, according to a study published Nov. 25 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
Analysis for the study was conducted by national and international researchers from the U.S., Australia, U.K., Canada, Denmark and Germany.
Researchers compiled trial data from before March 26 on MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for their analysis. To be included in the study, trials must have had at least 500 participants with Type 2 diabetes, compared a GLP-1 medication to a placebo with 12 months of follow-up and reported cardiovascular or kidney related outcomes.
Here are five things to know from the study:
- Eleven trials with 85,373 total participants, 67,769 of which had Type 2 diabetes, were included in the analysis.
- A major adverse cardiovascular event was defined as cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or non-fatal stroke.
- The composite kidney outcome was defined as kidney failure, a sustained reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate by at least 50% or death from kidney failure.
- Among patients with Type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 medications reduced major adverse cardiovascular events by 13%, the composite kidney outcome by 18%, kidney failure by 16% and all-cause death by 12%, when compared with a placebo.
- The researchers noted that treatment discontinuation due to adverse events occurred more frequently in patients who received a GLP-1 medication compared to patients who received a placebo.
Read the full study here.