Patients taking glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs like semaglutide for diabetes may have a lower risk of opioid drug overdose, according to a new study led by National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow, MD, published in JAMA Network Open. Previous empirical studies and anecdotal reports of fewer drug cravings among individuals with type 2 diabetes and comorbid opioid use disorder who use semaglutide inspired the study. Because the GLP-1 drugs are relatively new, there is scant evidence so far determining the drugs’ potential application in addiction treatment. The emulation target trial of more than 33,000 electronic medical records compared semaglutide and other antidiabetic medications against opioid overdose risk. Semaglutide was associated with a significantly lower risk of opioid overdose after 1 year compared with the other medications, with hazard ratios ranging from 0.32 (95% confidence interval, 0.12-0.89) to 0.58 (95% confidence interval, 0.38-0.87).
A rather good hunch: The study suggests semaglutide has “potential therapeutic value for preventing overdoses.” Volkow has been studying substance use and its effect on brain function for decades and is considered a leading authority on the subject.
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