GLP-1 drugs may fight addiction, and reduce alcohol consumption

Key Findings

⚖️ Sleeve gastrectomy beats semaglutide for weight loss

• 71 adults with obesity were assigned to either sleeve gastrectomy surgery or weekly semaglutide injections for 24 weeks

• At 12 months, surgery achieved 28.6% total weight loss compared to 11.3% with semaglutide

• Among 25 patients who stopped semaglutide after 6 months, 32% regained their baseline weight or higher by 12 months

💪 GLP-1 drugs linked to reduced fibromyalgia symptoms

• 48,025 fibromyalgia patients using GLP-1 drugs were compared to 48,025 matched patients not using them over 5 years

• GLP-1 users had 35% lower odds of opioid prescriptions, 21% lower odds of pain diagnostic codes, and 32% lower odds of fatigue diagnostic codes

• The association held even after accounting for diabetes, obesity, and other health conditions

🫀 SGLT2 inhibitors may protect kidneys better than GLP-1 drugs

• 55,061 veterans with type 2 diabetes starting either SGLT2 inhibitors or GLP-1 drugs were followed for kidney and heart outcomes

• SGLT2 inhibitor users had 19% lower risk of chronic kidney disease and 12% fewer acute kidney injury episodes over 5 years

• However, GLP-1 drug users had 14% lower risk of major cardiac events (heart failure, heart attack, stroke)

🔥 Tirzepatide reduces diabetic eye complications

• 173,846 patients with diabetes (86,923 on tirzepatide, 86,923 matched controls) were followed for 12 months

• Tirzepatide users had 30% lower risk of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 38% lower risk of diabetic macular edema, and 52% fewer anti-VEGF eye injections

• The drug also reduced risk of serious complications like vitreous hemorrhage (39% lower) and retinal detachment (63% lower)

🍺 Real-world data shows GLP-1 drugs reduce alcohol consumption

• 1,214 people prescribed GLP-1 drugs were compared to 1,063 matched individuals not taking them in a large healthcare system

• Both groups reduced their weekly alcohol consumption, but GLP-1 users had a greater reduction (1.81 vs 1.38 drinks per week)

• The effect was most pronounced in people with low-risk baseline alcohol use (92.8% of the GLP-1 group)

🦴 GLP-1 drugs may improve bone healing but increase wound complications

• 1,504 patients undergoing midfoot fusion surgery (752 on GLP-1 drugs, 752 controls) were followed for complications

• GLP-1 users had 29% lower odds of bone nonunion at 1 year, suggesting better bone healing

• However, they had 71% higher rates of wound complications at 90 days and more than double the rate of mechanical complications at 1 year