A large review of cardiovascular outcome trials found that people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists—drugs that include semaglutide (sold as Ozempic)—had a lower risk of major heart-related events than those given placebo. The analysis pooled results from 11 trials involving more than 90,000 participants, with an average follow-up of nearly three years, and reported benefits across patient subgroups including those with and without diabetes.
Researchers at Anglia Ruskin University analyzed 11 large cardiovascular outcome trials of glucagon-like peptide‑1 (GLP‑1) receptor agonists that followed participants for at least one year.
Across the combined dataset—covering more than 90,000 participants with an average follow-up of nearly three years—treatment with a GLP‑1 receptor agonist was associated with about a 13% lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (a composite that included heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death) compared with placebo.
The review also reported lower rates of all-cause death, along with reductions in non-fatal heart attacks, non-fatal strokes, and hospitalizations for heart failure among people assigned to GLP‑1 drugs. The strongest benefits were seen in groups already considered at high cardiovascular risk, such as people with obesity, type 2 diabetes, or established heart disease.
