Ozempic, GLP-1 drugs included in new stroke prevention guidelines
This week, health professionals unveiled updated recommendations for preventing strokes, one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. The new guidelines, published on Monday by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Stroke Association (ASA), highlight the role of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications in reducing the risk of strokes. It is the first significant update to stroke prevention guidelines in over ten years.
Dr. M. Shazam Hussain, the director of the Cerebrovascular Center at the Cleveland Clinic’s Neurological Institute, emphasized the importance of these new guidelines, saying that they offer a fresh opportunity to educate the public on stroke prevention. “We need to make sure people understand these risks and take steps to protect their health,” Dr. Hussain said.
The updated guidance also includes stroke risks specific to sex and gender, drawing attention to previously underappreciated factors in stroke risk for both men and women, as well as those receiving gender-affirming care.
Ozempic and GLP-1 Drugs Linked to Lower Stroke Risk
Among the key points in the new report is the recommendation for doctors to consider prescribing GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic, to patients with diabetes or those at high risk of cardiovascular disease. These drugs, originally developed to help manage blood sugar in people with diabetes, have also been found to reduce the risk of stroke in certain groups.
This recommendation is based on research released in the past year, which showed that Wegovy, a weight loss drug from the same class as Ozempic, could lower the risk of stroke in overweight or obese individuals by up to 20%. The study, funded by Wegovy’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, demonstrated the positive effects of weight loss on reducing the chances of both heart attacks and strokes.
As a result of these findings, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Wegovy in March for reducing the risk of strokes, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular conditions. This has prompted the AHA and ASA to incorporate these GLP-1 drugs into their stroke prevention strategies, which could benefit a large number of people who are overweight or diabetic.
Gender-Specific Stroke Risks Highlighted in New Report
For the first time, the AHA and ASA report also outlines distinct stroke risks for men and women, marking a shift from the previous one-size-fits-all approach. Dr. Hussain pointed out that previous guidelines tended to treat stroke risk factors as identical across genders. “We used to think that what applies to men should also apply to women,” he noted, “but that isn’t always the case.”
In women, the new guidelines highlight the role of hormonal factors in stroke risk. Pregnancy, menopause, and conditions like endometriosis are now recognized as contributing to a woman’s stroke risk. Hormonal birth control has long been associated with an increased risk of stroke, though the report stresses that this risk is still lower than the risk of stroke during pregnancy.
For men, the updated recommendations warn about the potential stroke risks related to testosterone replacement therapy, particularly in men between the ages of 45 and 80. While studies on testosterone therapy have produced mixed results, the FDA issued a warning in 2015 that linked testosterone supplements to a higher risk of stroke and heart attacks.
Gender-Affirming Care and Stroke Risk
The updated guidelines also address stroke risks in transgender individuals, a group that has often been overlooked in medical research. Specifically, the report draws attention to the use of estrogen for gender-affirming care, noting that people undergoing this treatment may have an increased risk of stroke. However, the authors caution that data on this subject is still limited due to the small number of studies that include transgender and gender-diverse patients.
What These New Guidelines Mean for Stroke Prevention
These updated guidelines provide healthcare professionals with new tools to help reduce the incidence of strokes across diverse patient populations. By focusing on weight loss drugs like Ozempic and incorporating gender-specific stroke risks, the AHA and ASA hope to create a more personalized approach to stroke prevention.
For patients with diabetes or those who are overweight or obese, the recommendations offer new hope that weight loss drugs could significantly reduce their risk of stroke. Doctors are now encouraged to consider these medications as part of their broader stroke prevention strategies, alongside other lifestyle changes like exercise and diet.
For women and those receiving gender-affirming care, the updated guidelines offer new insights into how hormonal factors can influence stroke risk. These recommendations underscore the need for individualized treatment plans that take into account each patient’s unique health risks.
Ultimately, the goal of these new guidelines is to reduce the number of strokes and improve overall public health. With strokes continuing to be a leading cause of death and disability, these recommendations come at a crucial time.
As Dr. Hussain concluded, “We now have the chance to make a real difference in preventing strokes and ensuring that people live longer, healthier lives.”
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