Risk of perioperative cardiorespiratory complications and mortality associated with preoperative glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist use in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a nationwide propensity-score matched study

In a cohort of 296,389 matched pairs, 0.09% of individuals using GLP-1 receptor agonists experienced respiratory complications compared to 0.34% of those who did not.

• Preoperative use of GLP-1 receptor agonists was linked to a lower incidence of respiratory complications within 30 days after surgery.
• The relative risk of respiratory complications for those using GLP-1 RAs was 0.26, indicating a significant reduction compared to non-users.
• Pulmonary aspiration occurred in 0.01% of GLP-1 RA users versus 0.03% of non-users, with a relative risk of 0.31.
• Both long- and short-acting forms of GLP-1 RAs were associated with fewer respiratory complications.
• The findings suggest that GLP-1 RA use may be beneficial in reducing perioperative respiratory risks in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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