Type 2 diabetes patients ‘may risk heart issues if they stop weight-loss jabs’

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By Emma Wilkinson and Jane Kirkby, Press Association

People with type 2 diabetes who come off weight loss jabs may have twice the risk of heart attack, stroke or death compared with those who stay on them, research suggests.

An observational study found that people with type 2 diabetes and no established heart disease at the start of the study fared better if they stayed on GLP-1 drugs when it came to their heart health.

The results came from an analysis of electronic medical records from more than 300 diabetes clinics throughout Italy.

More than 80,000 people with type 2 on GLP-1 drugs were identified by the team, which included experts in Italy and from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London.

On average, patients who continued treatment took a GLP-1 drug for nearly three years, compared with just over one year for those who stopped.

The overall results suggested that the risk of a non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke or death from any cause was about twice as high in people who stopped GLP-1 treatment as in those who continued.