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Ozempic and Wegovy are more and more out there in Australia and worldwide to deal with sort 2 diabetes and weight problems.
The dramatic results of those medication, referred to as GLP-1s, on weight reduction have sparked large public curiosity on this new therapy possibility.
Nevertheless, the dangers and advantages are nonetheless being actively studied.
In a brand new research in Nature Drugs, researchers from the US reviewed well being information from about 2.4 million individuals who have sort 2 diabetes, together with round 216,000 individuals who used a GLP-1 drug, between 2017 and 2023.
The researchers in contrast a spread of well being outcomes when GLP-1s had been added to an individual’s therapy plan, versus managing their diabetes in different methods, typically utilizing glucose-lowering drugs.
General, they discovered individuals who used GLP-1s had been much less more likely to expertise 42 well being situations or adversarial well being occasions—however extra more likely to face 19 others.
What situations had been much less widespread?
Cardiometabolic situations. GLP-1 use was related to fewer critical cardiovascular and coagulation problems. This consists of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, stroke, cardiac arrest, coronary heart failure and myocardial infarction.
Neurological and psychiatric situations. GLP-1 use was related to fewer reported substance use problems or addictions, psychotic problems and seizures.
Infectious situations. GLP-1 use was related to fewer bacterial infections and pneumonia.
What situations had been extra widespread?
Gastrointestinal situations. Per prior research, GLP-1 use was related to gastrointestinal situations corresponding to nausea, vomiting, gastritis, diverticulitis and stomach ache.
Different adversarial results. Elevated dangers had been seen for situations corresponding to low blood stress, syncope (fainting) and arthritis.
How strong is that this research?
The research used a big and respected dataset from the US Division of Veterans Affairs. It is an observational research, which means the researchers tracked well being outcomes over time with out altering anybody’s therapy plan.
A energy of the research is it captures information from greater than 2.4 million folks throughout greater than six years. That is for much longer than what is often possible in an intervention research.
Observational research like this are additionally considered extra reflective of the “real world,” as a result of individuals aren’t requested to comply with directions to alter their conduct in unnatural or pressured methods, as they’re in intervention research.
Nevertheless, this research can not say for positive that GLP-1 use was the reason for the change in threat of various well being outcomes. Such conclusions can solely be confidently comprised of tightly managed intervention research, the place researchers actively change or management the therapy or conduct.
The authors observe the info used on this research comes from predominantly older, white males, so the findings could not apply to different teams.
Additionally, the big variety of individuals implies that even very small results may be detected, however they may not really make an actual distinction in general inhabitants well being.
Different doable causes for these hyperlinks
Past the impact of GLP-1 within the physique, different components could clarify a number of the findings on this research. For instance, it is doable that:
Individuals who used GLP-1 may very well be extra knowledgeable about therapy choices and extra motivated to handle their very own well being
Individuals who used GLP-1 could have acquired it as a result of their health-care group had been motivated to supply the newest therapy choices, which may result in higher care in different areas that impression the chance of varied well being outcomes
Individuals who used GLP-1 could have been in a position to take action as a result of they lived in metropolitan facilities and will afford the remedy, in addition to different health-promoting companies and merchandise, corresponding to gyms, psychological well being care, or wholesome meals supply companies.
Did the authors have any conflicts of curiosity?
Two of the research’s authors declared they had been “uncompensated consultants” for Pfizer, a worldwide pharmaceutical firm recognized for growing a variety of medicines and vaccines. Whereas Pfizer doesn’t presently make available GLP-1s corresponding to Ozempic or Wegovy, they’re trying to develop their very own GLP-1s, so could profit from higher demand for these medication.
This analysis was funded by the US Division of Veterans Affairs, a authorities company that gives a variety of companies to navy veterans.
No different competing pursuits had been reported.
Diabetes vs. weight-loss therapies
General, this research exhibits folks with sort 2 diabetes utilizing GLP-1 remedy typically have extra constructive well being outcomes than adverse well being outcomes.
Nevertheless, the research did not embrace folks with out sort 2 diabetes. Extra analysis is required to grasp the results of those drugs in folks with out diabetes who’re utilizing them for different causes, together with weight reduction.
Whereas the findings spotlight the therapeutic advantages of GLP-1 drugs, additionally they elevate essential questions on the best way to handle the potential dangers for many who select to make use of this remedy.
The findings of this research may also help many individuals, together with:
policymakers taking a look at methods to make GLP-1 drugs extra broadly out there for folks with numerous well being situations
well being professionals who’ve common discussions with sufferers contemplating GLP-1 use
people contemplating whether or not a GLP-1 remedy is true for them.
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Individuals on Ozempic could have fewer coronary heart assaults, strokes, addictions—however extra nausea, vomiting, abdomen ache (2025, January 26)
retrieved 26 January 2025
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