New research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) may reduce the risk of cardiovascular and thrombotic events in adults living with obesity and autoimmune diseases.
Researchers analysed electronic health record data from 26,408 adults, treated within the OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Network between 2014 and 2024. The study compared cardiac and vascular outcomes among patients taking a GLP-1RA with those who were not.
Among adults with obesity and at least one autoimmune disease, GLP-1RA use was associated with a 44% lower risk of all-cause mortality, a 31% lower risk of pulmonary embolism, a 21% lower risk of emergency department visits, and a 17% lower risk of venous thromboembolism compared with non-use. The researchers suggested these benefits may be partly due to the anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting effects of GLP-1RAs.
Conversely, the analysis found a more modest reduction in stroke risk, with a 13% lower relative risk, while heart attack risk was reduced by 14% on a relative basis, although the reduction was not statistically significant.
Reacting to the study, aesthetic practitioner Dr Vix Manning who regularly treats GLP-1 patients in clinic, commented, “This article adds to a growing body of evidence that GLP-1s offer benefits well beyond sugar and weight control. The reduction in thrombotic and cardiovascular events in patients with autoimmune disease is particularly interesting and reflects mechanisms I’m seeing first-hand. I’ve been using tirzepatide in patients with lipoedema specifically to target the inflammatory component of the condition and have seen a marked improvement in a patient with dermatomyositis. As ever, the modest findings for stroke and MI remind us these are adjunctive, not standalone, tools within a broader inflammatory and metabolic strategy.”