Rachel V Thomas

Health and Me

Stopping Ozempic or Wegovy May Double Your Risk Of Heart Attack, Death

GLP-1 drugs such as <span>Ozempic</span> and <span>Wegovy</span> can reduce cardiovascular events and deaths in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and some people with obesity. However, stopping treatment may affect these benefits.

Around 20–50% of patients discontinue GLP-1 therapy within the first year. Previous studies have linked discontinuation to weight regain and worsening blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Now, a study published in The Lancet Regional Health has found that people with type 2 diabetes and no previous cardiovascular disease who stopped GLP-1 treatment had nearly twice the risk of heart attack, stroke or death from any cause compared with those who continued.

"In people with T2D and without previous cardiovascular disease, interrupting a therapy with GLP-1RA was associated with a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause compared to those continuing the treatment," said researchers from IRCCS MultiMedica in Milan, Italy.

However, the observational study cannot establish that stopping GLP-1 drugs directly caused the increased risk. Researchers also did not know why patients discontinued treatment, which could have been due to side effects, cost or underlying illnesses such as frailty or cancer.

Researchers analysed electronic medical records from more than 300 diabetes clinics in the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (AMD) database, covering 2004–2024.

They identified more than 80,000 people with type 2 diabetes and no established cardiovascular disease who had started GLP-1 treatment.

Those who continued treatment took the medication for nearly three years on average, compared with just over one year among those who stopped.

The combined risk of non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke or death from any cause was nearly twice as high among those who discontinued treatment.

<ul><li>Those who stopped: About 4 events per 100 people per year.</li><li>Those who continued: About 2 events per 100 people per year.</li></ul>Deaths from any cause were also higher among those who stopped treatment, at approximately 2.2 per 100 people per year, compared with 0.5 among those who continued.

<h2>People With Obesity Had Higher Risks</h2>

Among those who discontinued treatment, the risks of adverse outcomes were higher in people with obesity (body mass index of 30 or above) than in those without obesity.

Interestingly, changes in weight, blood sugar and blood pressure after stopping treatment were modest and similar among those who subsequently experienced a heart attack, stroke or death and those who did not.

This suggests that changes in these risk factors may not fully explain the higher rates of adverse outcomes.

<h2>Should You Stop Ozempic Or Wegovy?</h2>

Lead author Antonio Ceriello, head of diabetes research at IRCCS MultiMedica, said the association between stopping GLP-1 receptor agonists and poorer cardiovascular outcomes was "not a complete surprise". However, he noted that the scale of the association was significant, ABC News reported.

The researchers said long-term GLP-1 use may be important for maintaining health benefits in people with type 2 diabetes, but further studies are needed to establish whether stopping treatment directly increases cardiovascular risk or reflects worsening underlying health.

People taking Ozempic, Wegovy or other GLP-1 medications should discuss any decision to stop treatment with their doctor.

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GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy can reduce cardiovascular events and deaths in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and some people with obesity. However, stopping treatment may affect these benefits.Around 20–50% of patients discontinue GLP-1 therapy within the first year. Previous studies have linked discontinuation to weight regain and worsening blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.Now, a study published in The Lancet Regional Health has found that people with type 2 diabetes and no previous cardiovascular disease who stopped GLP-1 treatment had nearly twice the risk of heart attack, stroke or death from any cause compared with those who continued."In people with T2D and without previous cardiovascular disease, interrupting a therapy with GLP-1RA was associated with a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause compared to those continuing the treatment," said researchers from IRCCS MultiMedica in Milan, Italy.However, the observational study cannot establish that stopping GLP-1 drugs directly caused the increased risk. Researchers also did not know why patients discontinued treatment, which could have been due to side effects, cost or underlying illnesses such as frailty or cancer.What Did The Study Find?Researchers analysed electronic medical records from more than 300 diabetes clinics in the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (AMD) database, covering 2004–2024.They identified more than 80,000 people with type 2 diabetes and no established cardiovascular disease who had started GLP-1 treatment.Those who continued treatment took the medication for nearly three years on average, compared with just over one year among those who stopped.The combined risk of non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke or death from any cause was nearly twice as high among those who discontinued treatment.Those who stopped: About 4 events per 100 people per year.Those who continued: About 2 events per 100 people per year.Deaths from any cause were also higher among those who stopped treatment, at approximately 2.2 per 100 people per year, compared with 0.5 among those who continued.People With Obesity Had Higher RisksAmong those who discontinued treatment, the risks of adverse outcomes were higher in people with obesity (body mass index of 30 or above) than in those without obesity.Interestingly, changes in weight, blood sugar and blood pressure after stopping treatment were modest and similar among those who subsequently experienced a heart attack, stroke or death and those who did not.This suggests that changes in these risk factors may not fully explain the higher rates of adverse outcomes.Should You Stop Ozempic Or Wegovy?Lead author Antonio Ceriello, head of diabetes research at IRCCS MultiMedica, said the association between stopping GLP-1 receptor agonists and poorer cardiovascular outcomes was "not a complete surprise". However, he noted that the scale of the association was significant, ABC News reported.The researchers said long-term GLP-1 use may be important for maintaining health benefits in people with type 2 diabetes, but further studies are needed to establish whether stopping treatment directly increases cardiovascular risk or reflects worsening underlying health.People taking Ozempic, Wegovy or other GLP-1 medications should discuss any decision to stop treatment with their doctor.

stopping ozempic or wegovy may double your risk of heart attack, death

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