Researchers have found that certain classes of weight loss and diabetes medications might be doing more than managing blood sugar levels, they could be lifesavers for stroke survivors, slashing their risk of future heart attacks, strokes, and even death.

In the latest study, researchers evaluated health data for 7,044 adults admitted to a hospital for acute ischemic stroke between January 2000 and June 2022. They followed up on the participants to understand how the two classes of medications for treating type 2 diabetes and weight loss: glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1), such as liraglutide and semaglutide, or sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2), such as canagliflozin and dapagliflozin worked to reduce the risk of heart attacks, secondary stroke or death in stroke survivors.

Preliminary results presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024 revealed that after an average of three years, adults taking either GLP-1 or SGLT2 experienced a 74% lower risk of death and an 84% lower risk of heart attack. Those on an SGLT2 inhibitor were also 67% less likely to suffer another stroke.

"Unfortunately, a quarter of people who survive a stroke will have another stroke, and they are also at risk for other cardiovascular events such as a heart attack since many of the risk factors of a stroke are also associated with other forms of heart disease," said lead study author Dr. M. Ali Sheffeh, a research scholar at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in a news release.

"Managing these risks, as well as looking at novel approaches to help lower the chances of another stroke, heart attack, or death among this population are all critical steps in increasing stroke survival and improving the quality of life for people who have had a stroke," Dr. Sheffeh added.

The researchers noted that the reduced risk prevailed even after adjusting for other factors such as age, sex, smoking status, hypertension status, type 2 diabetes status, peripheral artery disease, hyperlipidemia, chronic kidney disease, and a history of heart attack or a history of heart failure.

The death rate among stroke survivors taking either of these two medication classes was 11.8%, compared to 54% for those not taking either. Additionally, the rate of heart attacks among patients on one of these medications was 1.5%, versus 6.1% for those not taking them. Even though the chances of another stroke were similar at around 6% with or without medication, the researchers concluded that the risk of recurrent stroke was reduced when multiple variables were taken into account.

"When comparing multiple variables, we can still conclude that treatment with either medication was associated with lower risk of recurrent stroke even though the rate was similar between patients who did and did not receive either medication," Dr. Sheffeh said.

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