GLP-1 receptor agonists may be a game-changer for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and diabetes. A new study found that GLP-1 users had significantly lower risks of death, hospitalization, amputation, and revascularization compared to those on metformin. With limited treatment options for PAD, these findings could reshape how clinicians approach this high-risk population.
GLP-1 receptor agonists — the class of drugs behind medications like Ozempic — may do more than manage blood sugar and weight. A new retrospective study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that GLP-1 use in patients with both peripheral artery disease (PAD) and diabetes was associated with significantly better long-term outcomes compared to metformin.
Researchers used the TriNetX platform to propensity-match over 2,000 GLP-1 users with an equal number of metformin users among patients with PAD and diabetes. Over a 5-year follow-up, GLP-1 users came out ahead on nearly every major outcome — from survival to limb preservation.
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Why it matters: PAD is a condition with notoriously limited treatment options, and amputations carry devastating consequences for patients' quality of life. These findings suggest GLP-1s could offer meaningful protection for one of medicine's most challenging — and underserved — patient populations.
