Can one drug do all this? Review

Comment: expanding benefits from GLP-1 drugs. Image loan: alexander_p / shutterstock

In a recent article of comments published in the journal Medical reportsAuthors Maria J. Gonzalez-Rellan, Daniel J. Drucker from Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada summarize and explain the evidence that the Peptid-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RAS), initially developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and body weight, show a surprising range of clinical benefits.

This evidence, taken from several main clinical trials, reveals that RA GLP-1 Semglutide And girls can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, chronic kidney disease and liver disease while improving states such as sleep apnea and osteoarthritis.

Mechanical studies emphasize that RA GLP-1 not only have weight loss, but also anti-inflammatory and metabolic properties, which suggests them effectiveness against several chronic conditions. The review notes, however, that the degree in what benefits are independent of weight loss may vary depending on the state, and further tests are needed to fully explain these mechanisms.

Background

Peptic-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RAS) are a class of drugs initially developed in the treatment of type 2 (T2D) and obesity diabetes. They regulate blood sugar and appetite, imitating the effect of naturally occurring intestinal hormone GLP-1, insulin secretion modulator, glucagon, gastric emptying and satiety signaling.

Semaglutide (sold as “ozempic” and “wagova”) and double hedgehog tirirpatid (“Mounjaro” and “Zepbound”) are one of the most -talked medicines, taking into account their unprecedented clinical effectiveness both in terms of weight and T2D loss.

Surprisingly, the growing number of clinical trials shows that these drugs (and other RA GLP-1) can have benefits that go far beyond their original goal, with their effects covering the heart, kidneys, liver and many others.

Recent evidence also suggests potential benefits in peripheral artery disease that was studied in the Stride study, and neurodegenerative disorders such as ongoing research on Alzheimer’s disease (ISS and Exoke+attempts). However, the effectiveness of these last indications remains examined.

About review

This review aims to simultaneously promote GLP-1 RA research and increase the understanding of users by synthesizing evidence from recent breakthrough tests, thus ensuring a comprehensive picture of the potential of these drugs as more than just metabolic modulators.

Provides a comprehensive and current review of the wide therapeutic landscape of RA GLP-1 by consolidating the results of many randomized large-scale controlled tests (n = 15 publications).

The key associations of the drug include: 1. Cardiovascular results (e.g. attempts at selection and soul), 2. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) (e.g. flow), 3. Heart failure with steat-annual inflammation (e.g. HFPEF) (EG, Step-Hfpef and SUMPIT), 4. 5. Obstructive sleep apnea (e.g., transition-use) and 6. Inflammation of the osteoarthritis (e.g. step 9). In the review, he also discusses emerging data on peripheral artery disease (e.g. Stride test).

Review the findings

The review emphasizes that the benefits of GLP-1 drugs are multiplayer and driven by complex mechanisms. For example, in the selected study (17,600 patients with cardiovascular and obesity, but without T2D), the weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (2.4 mg) reduced the risk of serious cardiovascular events (mace -heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death) by 20% compared to placebo (HR 0.80; <0.001). This benefit was not only dependent on the amount of weight loss.

The benefits of CKD were similar, with flow examination (3,500 patients with T2D and chronic kidney disease), semaglutide (1 mg per week) reduced the risk of incidents of renal and death due to kidney or cardiovascular approval (January 2025) to take into account the risk of disease.

In research on the OSA area, they revealed that DziełyPatidd dramatically reduced the severity of obstructive sleep apnea, stating that the drug reduced the case, the apnea-hypopnei (AHI) indicator, the measure of the respiratory break, by estimated 20-24 events per hour more than control, depending on whether patients used positive air pressure (PA) based on basic. In the PAP group, the average reduction in relation to the initial value was as much as 29.3 events per hour.

Bone and joint inflammation did not differ, and step 9 showed that semaglutide improved the physical function of patients and reduced the intensity of knee pain (results).

The most striking, many attempts have now shown that GLP-1 agonists can lead to mash resolution, heavy form Fatty liver diseaseWithout worsening liver fibrosis, which is a common undesirable result observed for some current drugs. However, typical gastrointestinal side effects associated with GLP-1 agents remain.

In addition, the review emphasizes the Stride examination in peripheral arteries, in which the semaglutide improved the maximum distance of walking at people with T2D and PAD, the effect partially correlated with weight loss.

Conclusions

The current review goes so far that it suggests that GLP-1 drugs represent a breakthrough moment in the treatment of chronic diseases, and their therapeutic range significantly goes beyond the expectations of their creators. Drugs are now known for demonstrating strong benefits from the cardiovascular, renal and hepatic systems, with noteworthy effects that are partly independent of their simultaneous impact on weight loss and type 2 diabetes. However, the degree in what benefits these benefits are really independent of weight loss, may vary depending on the state and further research is needed to explain these relationships.

Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that GLP-1 drugs exert a direct anti-inflammatory effect, reducing biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and cancer necrosis factor (TNF-α). Future research should be aimed at discovering precise molecular mechanisms underlying these benefits independent of weight, enabling the development of new therapies that use these anti -inflammatory routes and potentially bypass the restrictions of current interventions.

Encouraging, ongoing research, such as Evoke and Evoke+, already study this potential of early Alzheimer’s disease. The review warns that effective dosage, duration and effectiveness in the case of non -metabolic and neuropsychiatric indications, including Alzheimer’s disease and the disorders of the use of substances.

While the width of the clinical influence of GLP-1 drugs is striking, the review maintains the scientific and measured tone, emphasizing the importance of further strict studies in order to fully understand and optimize these therapies for various chronic conditions.