Patients are finding positive benefit in the use of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs across a wide range of health conditions, as published in Nature Medicine. An observational study of Veterans Affairs data for nearly 2 million patients found that over about 3 years, adults with type 2 diabetes who used a GLP-1 had significantly decreased risks for 42 outcomes, increased risks for 19 outcomes, and no effect with 114 other outcomes when compared with usual care. While they experienced a reduced risk of cardiac arrest (22%), hemorrhagic stroke (14%), incident heart failure (11%), myocardial infarction (9%), and ischemic stroke (7%), there were also other positive signs. Use of GLP-1 drugs showed a 12% reduced risk for acute kidney injury and 3% lower risk for chronic kidney disease. Researchers observed an 8% lower risk of dementia and 12% lower risk for Alzheimer disease as well. Alcohol use disorders, opioid use disorders, and suicidal ideation/self-harm were also reduced. And this is not an exhaustive list of the possible positive effects on other health outcomes, according to the study.
Never without risk: GLP-1 drugs also have risks and side effects, of course, including a number of gastrointestinal issues such as nausea and vomiting, gastritis, noninfectious gastroenteritis, gastroparesis, diverticulosis, and diverticulitis. Some of the other risks uncovered in the study included hypotension, syncope, sleep disturbances, headaches, and drug-induced acute pancreatitis.
Read More