A staff of US researchers analyzed the medical data of greater than 600,000 kind 2 diabetics who took GLP-1 or older kinds of diabetes medicine from the US Division of Veterans Affairs medical database | Picture used for representational functions solely | Picture credit score: zimmytws
Taking a brand new technology of weight reduction medicine is related to a considerably decrease danger of dependancy to medicine resembling cocaine and alcohol and demise, a big US examine advised on Thursday.
A massively widespread drug often known as a GLP-1 agonist might even halve the chance of demise from a wide range of dangerous substances. BMJ Newspaper on Thursday.
Nonetheless, exterior consultants urged warning in deciphering the outcomes, which don’t set up a causal relationship, and known as for extra particulars to be clarified in medical trials.
GLP-1 medicine resembling Ozempic have revolutionized the therapy of diabetes and weight problems in recent times, however in addition they present indicators of being helpful for a stunning number of well being issues, together with dependancy.
A staff of US researchers analyzed the medical data of greater than 600,000 folks with kind 2 diabetes who took GLP-1 or older diabetes medicines from the US Division of Veterans Affairs medical database.
The researchers then examined the results of medicine resembling alcohol, hashish, cocaine, nicotine, and opioids over a three-year interval.
Amongst veterans who had been already hooked on medicine, taking GLP-1 lowered demise charges by 50% and overdose charges by 40%.
Emergency division visits decreased by greater than 30%, and hospitalizations and suicidal ideas and makes an attempt decreased by 1 / 4.
For veterans with no historical past of drug dependancy, taking GLP-1 was discovered to cut back the chance of creating drug dependancy by 14%.
I used to be fairly stunned
Ziyad Al Ali, an epidemiologist at Washington College in St. Louis and lead creator of the examine, advised AFP it was “completely stunning” that GLP-1 appeared to have the ability to stop so many substance use issues.
“The consequences weren’t restricted to 1 substance, however had been evident throughout the board for all addictive substances,” he advised AFP.
As a result of this examine is observational, it can not immediately show that GLP-1 induced the outcomes seen within the examine.
And it is nonetheless unclear precisely how these urge for food suppressants can battle dependancy. However there are ideas that they could affect the best way our brains reward sure behaviors.
The researchers additionally cautioned that though the individuals had been primarily older white males, the outcomes gave the impression to be constant for girls as nicely.
“This suggestion is extra sensible than revolutionary,” stated Fares Keedan, a biostatistics knowledgeable at Loyola College Chicago who was not concerned within the examine.
“Policymakers ought to due to this fact keep away from untimely ‘Ozempic for dependancy’ discourse,” Keedan stated in a linked editorial. B.M.J.
And even when medical trials affirm that these medicine are efficient towards dependancy, they’re costly and never equally out there in all international locations, he added.
