Current atherosclerosis reportsJul 30, 2025

Six New Uses of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Beyond Diabetes

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) may induce clinically meaningful weight loss in individuals with overweight or obesity.

GLP-1RAs were originally developed for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes but are now being explored for various other health conditions.
Research indicates that GLP-1RAs may provide cardiovascular benefits and protect kidney function.
They show potential in managing obesity-related conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea and metabolic-associated liver disease.
Preliminary data suggest GLP-1RAs could have roles in treating substance use disorders, including alcohol and nicotine dependence.
Despite their benefits, GLP-1RAs are associated with side effects and high costs, affecting patient access.

Simplified

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review summarizes recent advances in the clinical applications of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) beyond their established role in glycemic control for type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

RECENT FINDINGS: Originally developed for glycemic control in T2DM, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are now being utilized for a range of additional diseases and conditions. Strong evidence supports their efficacy in inducing clinically meaningful weight loss in individuals with overweight or obesity. Further studies have demonstrated cardiovascular benefits, kidney-protective effects, and therapeutic potential in obesity-related conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea and metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease. Emerging data also suggest possible roles in treating substance use disorders, including alcohol and nicotine dependence, though findings remain preliminary and variable. Despite these promising developments, GLP-1RAs are associated with side effects and high costs, contributing to variability in patient access. The therapeutic scope of GLP-1 receptor agonists extends beyond diabetes to multiple other conditions. Broader adoption requires careful evaluation of safety, cost, and evidence for less-established indications.

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Declarations. Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent: This article is a narrative review of previously published studies; therefore, ethical approval and informed consent were not required. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Topical Collection on Coronary Heart Disease: The Section Editors for the Topical Collection Coronary Heart Disease are Salim Virani and Mahmoud Al-Rifai. Please note that Section Editor, Salim Virani was not involved in the editorial process of this article as he is a co-author.

PubMed

Six New Uses of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Beyond Diabetes

Abstract

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Competing interests

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You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

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