People with type 2 diabetes often face a much higher risk of heart and blood vessel disease. One serious condition is peripheral artery disease, also called PAD.
PAD happens when fatty deposits build up inside the arteries that carry blood to the legs and feet. As blood flow becomes weaker, people may develop leg pain while walking, slow-healing wounds, infections, and in severe cases, tissue death that can lead to amputation. PAD also increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and early death.
A new independent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association offers encouraging news. Researchers found that a group of diabetes medicines known as GLP-1 receptor agonists may do much more than lower blood sugar.
They may also help people with both type 2 diabetes and PAD live longer, stay out of hospital, and reduce the risk of losing a limb.
The research was led by Dr. Aravinda Nanjundappa at Cleveland Clinic. The team reviewed medical records from more than 2,000 adults living with both type 2 diabetes and PAD. They compared people taking GLP-1 receptor agonists with those taking metformin, the medicine that is usually the first treatment prescribed for type 2 diabetes.
GLP-1 receptor agonists include medicines such as semaglutide and liraglutide. These drugs help the body release insulin when blood sugar rises, slow stomach emptying, reduce appetite, and often help people lose weight. Over the past few years, scientists have also discovered that these medicines can protect the heart and blood vessels.
The new study found that patients taking GLP-1 medicines had better overall outcomes than those taking metformin alone. Their risk of death from any cause was 26 percent lower. Hospital admissions were reduced by 13 percent.
The risk of amputation was up to 48 percent lower, and they were 36 percent less likely to need procedures to reopen blocked leg arteries. However, rates of heart attack, stroke, and major kidney problems were similar between the two groups.
The greatest benefits were seen in patients with the most severe forms of PAD and in people with obesity. Researchers believe the medicines may reduce inflammation, improve blood vessel function, and improve the way the body handles blood sugar, although more research is needed to understand exactly how they work.
The researchers stressed that this study does not prove that GLP-1 medicines directly caused the better outcomes because it was based on medical records rather than a randomized clinical trial. Future studies will be needed to confirm the findings.
This large real-world study suggests GLP-1 receptor agonists may offer important benefits for people who have both type 2 diabetes and PAD, particularly those with severe disease. The reductions in death, amputation, and hospitalization are clinically meaningful.
However, because this was an observational study, it cannot establish cause and effect. Randomized clinical trials are needed before treatment guidelines change. Even so, the findings add to growing evidence that GLP-1 medicines may protect more than blood sugar and body weight.
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Source: Cleveland Clinic.
