Drugs like Ozempic may lower risk of early death by 74% following a stroke: study

Stroke survivors can significantly lower their risk of another stroke, a heart attack or premature death by taking a diabetes drug like Ozempic or Jardiance, new preliminary research finds.

“Unfortunately, a quarter of people who survive a stroke will have another stroke,” said lead study author Dr. M. Ali Sheffeh. “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.”

A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel ruptures, leaking blood into the brain. Risk factors include high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, high blood sugar and obesity.

Stroke was the fourth leading cause of death in the US last year, accounting for 162,600 deaths, according to preliminary data.

Sheffeh’s team reviewed records for more than 7,000 elderly adults who experienced a clot-caused stroke between 2000 and 2022. Nearly all the patients had Type 2 diabetes.

Over three years, researchers tracked those who were prescribed either a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic or an SGLT2 medication like Jardiance after their initial stroke to see if they had a second stroke, suffered a heart attack, or died.

GLP-1 drugs treat diabetes and stimulate weight loss by mimicking he naturally occurring hormone GLP-1, which signals the body that it is full.

SGLT2 inhibitor medications help manage blood sugar levels by preventing the kidneys from reabsorbing sugar.

The researchers found that those who took either drug had a 74% lower risk of early death and an 84% reduced risk of a heart attack. SGLT2 users had a 67% decreased risk of another stroke.

“The results of the study are consistent with other research about the preventive role of these medications against cardiovascular disease in people with obesity or heart failure,” said Sheffeh, a research scholar at the Mayo Clinic.

The study authors note that GLP-1 drugs have been shown to lower blood pressure and help prevent the hardening of arteries, a major risk factor for strokes.

“GLP-1 [drugs] can actually decrease clumping of blood platelets, and that, in itself, could decrease the risk of clotting and lead to a lower risk of stroke,” said Dr. Cheryl Bushnell, professor and vice chair of research in the department of neurology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

“These medications could be really important,” Bushnell added.

The research, which has not been peer-reviewed, is due to be presented this month at an American Heart Association conference in Chicago.

The study authors acknowledge that 94% of the participants identify as white adults and most live in Minnesota or Wisconsin, so it’s unclear if these results translate to more diverse populations.