Tirzepatide linked to lower risk of major cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes

Tirzepatide has been associated with a lower risk of major cardiovascular events among people with type 2 diabetes and existing cardiovascular disease, according to a new population-based study published in The BMJ.

Researchers analysed data from almost 53,000 people with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease who had started treatment with either tirzepatide or sitagliptin, another medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes.

The study examined the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke and death.

After one year, the risk of a major cardiovascular event was 2.9% among people taking tirzepatide, compared with 4.4% among those taking sitagliptin.

The researchers estimated that this equated to one major cardiovascular event being avoided for approximately every 70 people treated with tirzepatide rather than sitagliptin.

Tirzepatide was also associated with a lower risk of heart attack and death from any cause during the study period, although researchers did not identify a meaningful difference in the risk of stroke between the two treatment groups.

The analysis also found fewer hospital admissions for infections among people receiving tirzepatide.

Tirzepatide is a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist and is used to treat type 2 diabetes. It is also prescribed for weight management under the brand name Mounjaro in the UK.

The medication works partly by reducing appetite and improving blood glucose control and has attracted significant attention because of the levels of weight loss achieved in clinical trials and routine care.

Cardiovascular disease remains a major complication of type 2 diabetes, with people living with the condition at increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Previous clinical research has established cardiovascular benefits for some medicines in the GLP-1 receptor agonist class, while the cardiovascular effects of tirzepatide continue to be studied.

The latest research was an observational cohort study rather than a randomised clinical trial. This means the findings demonstrate an association between tirzepatide use and a lower rate of cardiovascular events but cannot prove that the medicine directly caused the reduction.

The researchers said the study provides evidence from routine clinical practice that could help estimate the cardiovascular benefits associated with starting tirzepatide alongside standard treatment.

The findings add to growing evidence that medicines originally developed to improve blood glucose control may also have wider effects on cardiovascular health in people at high risk of heart disease.

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