'Double heart attack risk' warning for people on Wegovy and Mounjaro

Detailed summary

A new study has found an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or death among one group of people

Type 2 diabetes patients who stop taking weight loss jabs may face twice the risk of heart attack, stroke or death compared with those who remain on them, according to new research.

A recent study discovered that people with type 2 diabetes and no established heart disease at the outset fared considerably better if they continued taking GLP-1 drugs in terms of their heart health.

GLP-1s are already recognised as being beneficial for the heart, with studies indicating they can help reduce inflammation and improve blood vessel function.

Furthermore, when people shed weight, their blood pressure, inflammation and cholesterol levels tend to improve, which is beneficial for the heart.

For the study, researchers examined electronic medical records from more than 300 diabetes clinics across Italy.

The team, which included experts from Italy and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London, identified more than 80,000 people with type 2 diabetes who were taking GLP-1 drugs.

On average, patients who continued treatment took a GLP-1 drug for nearly three years, compared with just over one year for those who discontinued.

The overall findings suggested that the risk of a non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke or death from any cause was approximately twice as high in people who stopped GLP-1 treatment as in those who carried on.

The team noted this is the equivalent of about four strokes or heart attacks per 100 people per year amongst those who stopped, compared with two per 100 amongst those who continued. Amongst those who ceased taking the medication, risks appeared to be greater in individuals who remained obese.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Daily Mirror. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.