People with type 2 diabetes often rely on medications to manage their condition and prevent complications.
One group of medications, called GLP-1 receptor agonists (or GLP-1 RAs), has been widely used in recent years because it helps control blood sugar and may support weight loss.
However, a new study published in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery has found that these drugs may come with an unexpected side effect—chronic cough.
Researchers from the University of Southern California looked at medical data from 70 different health care systems. They studied over two million adults with type 2 diabetes. Of those, around 428,000 people had been given a GLP-1 RA, while more than 1.6 million were given other diabetes medications instead.
The study compared the two groups to see how often patients developed a long-lasting cough. Chronic cough is defined as a cough that lasts for eight weeks or longer.
The researchers discovered that people who took GLP-1 RAs had a higher chance of developing a chronic cough than those who took other diabetes medications like sulfonylureas or DPP-4 inhibitors. Specifically, the risk of chronic cough was up to 32% higher in the GLP-1 RA group in some comparisons.
One interesting finding was that this link between the drug and coughing remained strong even after the researchers removed patients who had previously been diagnosed with acid reflux (a common cause of chronic cough). This suggests that GLP-1 RAs may cause coughing through a different mechanism unrelated to reflux.
When compared to people using sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, another popular diabetes medication, the risk of chronic cough was not significantly different. This means the link seems specific to certain drug comparisons and may not be seen with all alternatives.
This study is important because it adds new information about the possible side effects of a commonly used medication. GLP-1 RAs, such as semaglutide and liraglutide, are often praised for their benefits, including lower blood sugar, weight loss, and heart protection.
However, like all medications, they may have unwanted effects that doctors and patients should be aware of.
The researchers caution that this was an observational study, meaning it used existing medical records rather than testing people in a controlled experiment.
So, while there is a clear link between the medication and chronic cough, this doesn’t prove that GLP-1 RAs directly cause the cough. More research will be needed to understand why this happens and who is most at risk.
Still, this study suggests that doctors should ask patients about coughing when prescribing GLP-1 RAs. For people who already struggle with coughing or lung issues, other medications might be a better choice.
In summary, this study raises awareness about a possible new side effect of a popular diabetes drug. Chronic cough can be frustrating and difficult to manage. If it turns out that GLP-1 RAs increase the risk, it will be important to adjust treatment plans to keep patients as healthy and comfortable as possible.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about the cooking connection between potatoes and diabetes, and low calorie diets may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about protein power: a new ally in diabetes management, and pineapple and diabetes: A sweet surprise.
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