Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Mar 21: The cardiovascular benefits of widely used GLP-1 medications may diminish rapidly once treatment is stopped, according to a new study published in BMJ Medicine.
GLP-1 drugs, including Ozempic and Mounjaro, are known to significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular complications in people with Type 2 Diabetes. However, researchers found that these benefits may reverse within months of discontinuation.
The study, led by Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly of Washington University School of Medicine, analysed medical records of over 333,000 patients treated through the Veterans Health Administration.
Findings showed that patients who continued GLP-1 therapy for about three years experienced an 18% lower risk of major cardiovascular events compared to those on other diabetes medications.
However, among those who stopped treatment, heart risks began to rise again within six months. The study reported a 4% increase in risk at six months, 14% after one year, and 22% after two years—effectively wiping out most of the earlier benefits.
Researchers described the effect as a form of “metabolic whiplash,” where benefits gained over years can be lost in nearly half the time.
The findings align with earlier research such as the SELECT trial, which showed around a 20% reduction in heart-related events among those taking semaglutide.
Experts noted that while GLP-1 drugs help improve heart health—possibly through weight loss and direct effects on heart tissue—the benefits do not appear to persist after stopping the medication.
The study also highlighted that nearly half of patients discontinue GLP-1 drugs within a year, often due to side effects like nausea or the high cost of treatment.
Researchers emphasised the need for continued use to sustain cardiovascular protection, while calling for further studies to understand whether factors like maintained weight loss or lower “maintenance doses” could help preserve benefits after stopping the drugs.