CureusSep 12, 2024

Heart health benefits of GLP-1 receptor drugs in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

GLP-1 receptor agonists are associated with a significant reduction in cardiovascular mortality and nonfatal events in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Cardiovascular risks in type 2 diabetes patients remain high despite controlling glycemic levels and other risk factors.
GLP-1 receptor agonists have demonstrated cardioprotective effects alongside improving glycemic control.
The review included 14 articles evaluating major adverse cardiovascular events, heart failure, stroke, and all-cause mortality.
Findings indicate that GLP-1 receptor agonists significantly lower cardiovascular mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke, particularly in those with cardiovascular risk factors.
Limited evidence suggests a potential protective effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists on arrhythmias, warranting further research.
Barriers to the widespread use of GLP-1 receptor agonists exist, highlighting the need for comprehensive strategies in medication implementation.

Simplified

Cardiovascular risks and complications remain elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes even after appropriate control of contributing factors like glycemic control, hypertension, and lipid profile. More efficient methods are needed to address this issue in type 2 diabetics. Newer drugs like glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have shown a cardioprotective effect in addition to glycemic control. This systematic review aims to study the latest literature findings on the cardiovascular effects of GLP-1 RAs in patients with type 2 diabetes. We used PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Biomed Central databases for our data collection. Our review adheres to the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The outcomes evaluated in the review include major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), heart failure, stroke, all-cause mortality, and effects on cardiovascular risk factors. After careful inspection and quality check, we included 14 articles in the systematic review. GLP-1 RAs were associated with a significant reduction in cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), and nonfatal stroke, especially in patients with existing cardiovascular risk factors. However, more evidence is required to determine if these benefits extend to those without such risk factors. Limited data suggest that GLP-1 RAs might have a protective effect on arrhythmias, but this area needs further investigation. Despite their potential, several barriers hinder the widespread use of GLP-1 RAs. In conclusion, GLP-1 RAs significantly reduce cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, nonfatal MI, and stroke, with minor effects on hospitalization due to heart failure. Benefits are greater in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. A comprehensive, multilevel approach to policy development and implementation is necessary to optimize the use of these medications in eligible populations.

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Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

PubMed

Heart health benefits of GLP-1 receptor drugs in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review

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