Originally developed to improve glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 receptor agonists have emerged as promising agents for weight management and cardiovascular protection, expanding their therapeutic potential beyond diabetes care.1 Since 2016, clinical trials such as LEADER,2 SELECT,3 and SURPASS4 have demonstrated the cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists, consistently showing a reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) across virtually all formulations.5,6 These findings have expanded the therapeutic potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists beyond diabetes management, positioning them as promising agents in the treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Additionally, these new data point to the utility of introducing GLP-1 receptor agonists earlier in the progression of obesity to treat patients who may be at risk of future CVD complications, similar to current statin use as a primary prevention therapeutic, particularly given GLP-1 receptor agonists’ potential to slow disease progression by addressing obesity as the underlying cause of the plethora of other diseases. The effect of this class of medications (table) on weight loss, coupled with their demonstrated cardiovascular benefits, make GLP-1 receptor agonists possible breakthrough solutions in the treatment of obesity and its associated comorbidities. This primary prevention approach would substantially reduce the lifetime burden of chronic diseases on the health-care system and improve patients’ overall health span.
