Chinese research team discovers the potential of GLP-1 class drugs in treating heart failure

Chinese research team discovers that GLP-1 drugs may have an independent protective effect on the heart, showing potential for future use in heart failure treatment. Professor Ge Junbo’s team at Zhongshan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University used genetic analysis methods to find that activating the GLP-1 receptor itself can significantly reduce the risk of heart failure, with a reduction of up to approximately 50%. This discovery is the first to demonstrate a new mechanism of action for GLP-1 drugs in heart failure treatment. Lu Hao, a professor of cardiology at Zhongshan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University and one of the corresponding authors of the study, stated that this finding breaks the traditional understanding that such drugs are only suitable for patients with diabetes or obesity. It provides a new theoretical basis for the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, commonly used for blood sugar control and weight loss, in treating heart failure, and offers scientific support for expanding the application of these drugs to a broader group of heart failure patients. (Yicai)