American researchers have revealed unsuspected effects of the GLP-1 receptor agonists, who are initially prescribed to treat diabetes.
- Compared to usual care, the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists is linked to a reduced risk of drug addiction and psychotic disorders, epilepsy attacks, neurocognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia .
- These drugs also decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems.
- On the other hand, they increase the risk of gastrointestinal disorders, hypotension, syncope, arthritic disorders, nephrolithiasis, interstitial nephritis and drug pancreatitis.
During the last years, the agonists of the Peptide 1 receptor type Glucagon, known as Ozempic, Mounjaro or Wegovy, have gained popularity because of their potential cardiovascular and renal protective properties and their effects on loss of weight. In addition to the increased use of these treatments, research has suggested that the latter increase the risk of gastrointestinal disorders. “However, their effectiveness and risks have not yet been systematically evaluated on the basis of a full set of health data”, have reported scientists from the Washington University School of Medicine by St. Louis and the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System (United States).
GLP-1 receptor agonists are beneficial for neurological, cardiovascular and behavioral health
This is why they decided to conduct a study, the results of which were published in the journal Medicine nature. For the purposes of this, the team used the databases of the American Ministry of Veterans to build a sample of people with diabetes who began to take antidiabetics. A total of 215,970 patients, whose medical records were reviewed, were included. Then she compared their 175 health results to those of adults who took “More traditional drugs sold under brand names, such as Jardiance, Glipizid and Januvia” and a so -called “witness” group made up of 1.203,097 people.
GLP-1 receptor agonists were associated with behavior health benefits, with a drop in the risk of epilepsy and dependence on substances such as alcohol, cannabis, stimulants and opioids. People taking these drugs also experienced a reduction in the risks of suicidal ideas, self -managing, bulimia and psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. The work has also confirmed the results of previous cohorts by detailing the potential of treatments to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems. The authors also observed a decrease in the risk of neurocognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Profits of approximately 10 to 20 % reduction
“It is interesting to note that the agonists of the GLP-1 receptor act on receptors expressed in the brain areas involved in the control of pulses, reward and dependence, which could explain their effectiveness to reduce the disorders of the Appetite and dependence. ,, explained Al-Alywho participated in the study. According to the researchers, the magnitude of the profits is around 10 to 20 % reduction for most results. A “modest effect” which “does not deny the potential value of these treatments, especially for diseases for which there are few effective treatment options, for example dementia.”
Research has confirmed the undesirable effects of antidiabetics already observed before, including an increased risk of gastrointestinal problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and, in rare cases, stomach paralysis. On the other hand, risks of hypotension, syncope, arthritic disorders, nephrolithiasis, interstitial nephritis and drug pancreatitis have been reported for the first time. “Thus, these drugs are not without risk. Patients who take them must therefore be followed closely.”
