University of Washington study links GLP-1 discontinuation to higher cardiovascular risk

Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine have conducted a three-year study involving over 333,000 American veterans with type 2 diabetes to examine the effects of discontinuing GLP-1 therapy.

The study found that even a six-month interruption in GLP-1 treatment significantly increased the risk of serious cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke, and death, compared to those who continued the medication. The risk increased the longer the patients remained without treatment; after two years without GLP-1 therapy, the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death was up to 22 percent higher than for those who maintained treatment.

Experts note that these findings indicate a correlation rather than direct causation and that the results specifically pertain to the studied group of American veterans with type 2 diabetes, meaning they may not be generalizable to all GLP-1 users.