For diabetes patients, stopping GLP-1 drugs linked to doubled risk of heart attack, stroke, death

Published on 11 November 2026 - 7:13 GMT+1 Breakthrough medicines used for cutting weight and addressing diabetes mimic the natural GLP-1 hormone to regulate blood sugar and curb appetite. In recent years, they have become a cornerstone of treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesity, also showing benefits for heart and kidney health. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Despite their proven effects, a substantial proportion of patients stop taking these drugs, often within the first year. Common reasons include gastrointestinal side effects, perceived lack of efficacy, high costs, and concern about rare side effects. Coming off treatment is frequently followed by weight regain and a worsening of several cardiometabolic risk factors, such as blood sugar and blood pressure. Now, a new study, published in The Lancet Regional Health Europe, found that stopping such medicines was linked to a doubled combined risk of non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke, or death from any cause compared to those who continued. This equates to roughly four events per 100 people per year among those who stopped, compared with two per 100 among those who continued. Among those who stopped treatment, the risks were higher for people with obesity than for those without. People with obesity (a body mass index above 30) had a 127% higher cardiovascular risk after coming off GLP-1s, compared with a 61% increase among those without obesity. However, because it was an observational study, it cannot determine whether discontinuing GLP-1s directly causes the increased risk or whether people who stopped were already in poorer health. After people stopped treatment, their weight, blood sugar and blood pressure changed only slightly, and there were no significant differences between those who suffered a heart attack, stroke or death and those who didn’t. This suggests these factors may not fully explain the higher risk, the authors noted. The researchers analysed electronic medical records from more than 300 diabetes clinics in the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists database. The records covered over 80,000 people with type 2 diabetes and no established cardiovascular disease who had started a GLP-1 between 2004 and 2024. The majority of participants received earlier-generation GLP-1s. Semaglutide — one of the most common new-generation treatments — accounted for only a minor fraction of use, and tirzepatide was not included because it entered the Italian market after the study period. People who continued treatment took a GLP-1 for nearly three years on average, compared with just over one year for those who stopped. The authors say the findings suggest that, in people with type 2 diabetes and no established cardiovascular disease, long-term GLP-1 use may be important for maintaining overall health benefits. They noted that further research is needed to determine whether stopping directly contributes to increased cardiovascular risk or is instead a marker of worsening health or underlying cardiovascular risk.