Diabetes drugs may improve risks for some conditions, but worsen others
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
While blockbuster diabetes drugs such as semaglutide (Ozempic) are linked to lower risks for many conditions, they may raise the risk of developing several others, according to an analysis published online Jan. 20, 2025, by Nature Medicine.
Focusing on GLP-1 medications — which were first marketed for diabetes and later to promote weight loss — researchers evaluated medical records from 216,000 people with diabetes taking such drugs and 1.7 million others with diabetes taking other blood sugar–lowering medications. The researchers tracked the effects of GLP-1 drugs on 175 health conditions over about 3.5 years.
Compared with other diabetes drugs, GLP-1 drugs were linked with lower risks of such health problems as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, Alzheimer's disease, and addiction disorders. But researchers found that GLP-1 medications were linked with a significantly higher risk of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Certain kidney problems, low blood pressure, and dizziness were also more likely among the people who took GLP-1 drugs. These are newly spotlighted risks, study authors said. As with all medications, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits as you decide whether GLP-1 drugs are a good choice for you.
Image: © Tatsiana Volkava /Getty Images
About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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