GLP-1 Drugs Reduce Heart Attacks and Death in Type 2 Diabetes: Systematic Review of 14 Studies

GLP-1 RAs significantly reduce cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, nonfatal MI, and nonfatal stroke in T2DM patients with existing cardiovascular risk factors. Limited data suggest possible protective effects against arrhythmias. Effects on heart failure hospitalization are minor. Benefits in patients without cardiovascular risk factors are uncertain.

Systematic review following 2020 PRISMA guidelines, searching PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and BioMed Central. 14 articles met inclusion criteria and underwent quality assessment. Outcomes evaluated included MACE, heart failure, stroke, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular risk factor changes.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in type 2 diabetes patients even with good glycemic control. This review consolidates the evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists offer dual benefits — glucose lowering AND cardiovascular protection — strengthening the case for their earlier and broader use in diabetes management.

The cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1 RAs are reshaping diabetes treatment guidelines globally. These drugs are increasingly seen not just as glucose-lowering agents but as cardiovascular protective therapies. The challenge now is ensuring equitable access to these potentially life-saving medications.

Systematic review without meta-analysis (no pooled effect sizes). Most included trials were in high-cardiovascular-risk populations, limiting generalizability to lower-risk patients. Heterogeneity in GLP-1 RA types, doses, and follow-up durations across studies. Published in Cureus, a lower-impact journal. Did not assess individual GLP-1 RAs separately.