Acta psychiatrica ScandinavicaJun 22, 2026

Use of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists and the Risk of Hospitalization in Bipolar Disorder from 2009 to 2024

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated Jun 23, 2026

Abstract

The use of semaglutide is associated with a 21% lower risk of psychiatric hospitalisation in individuals with bipolar disorder compared to non-use of GLP-1 receptor agonists.

5200 individuals using GLP-1 receptor agonists were identified within a cohort of 14,694 people with bipolar disorder.
Semaglutide was associated with a 17% lower risk of relapse of bipolar disorder.
Liraglutide and dulaglutide did not show a significant association with reduced psychiatric hospitalisation.
Absences from work due to sick leave were not significantly linked to the specific antidiabetic medications studied.
The findings suggest that semaglutide may have unique effects compared to other GLP-1 receptor agonists.

Simplified

Diabetes, obesity and bipolar disorder often co-occur and may have shared pathophysiology. Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) treat diabetes and obesity but their impact on bipolar disorder is unknown. In this era of stagnated pharmacotherapy, we examined psychiatric hospitalisation and absence from work due to sick leave as potential measures of relapse in people diagnosed with bipolar disorder who were also prescribed antidiabetic medications, including GLP-1RA.

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Semaglutide linked to 21% lower psychiatric hospitalization risk in bipolar disorder patients

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