Liraglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used to control blood sugar and excess weight gain in people with type-2 diabetes. Some studies also suggest that the use of liraglutide may also be linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular events. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between the use of liraglutide and the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type-2 diabetes.
This is a multi-analysis conducted using data from nationwide registers in Sweden and Denmark. The study included a total of 23,402 users of liraglutide and 23,402 matched users of DPP-4 inhibitors, all with diagnosed type-2 diabetes. The primary outcome of the study was major cardiovascular events, like ischemic heart disease, coronary revascularization, and peripheral arterial disease.
A major cardiovascular event occurred in 1,132 liraglutide users (IR 14.0 per 1,000 person-years) compared to 1,141 users of DPP-4 inhibitors (15.4 per 1,000 person-years). When compared with the use of DPP-4 inhibitors, the use of liraglutide was associated with a statistically significant lower risk of a major cardiovascular event.
The research concluded that the use of liraglutide in patients with type-2 diabetes was associated with a significantly lower risk of major cardiovascular events, as compared with these of DPP-4 inhibitors.
Ref: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(18)30320-6/fulltext
