Glucagon-like peptide-1/GIP therapy leads to lean mass loss of 15–45% of total weight reduction, which could impact cardiovascular outcomes, particularly in older adults.
What are the clinical implications and mechanisms of lean body mass loss associated with GLP-1/GIP therapy in patients with obesity and cardiovascular disease?
While GLP-1 and GIP therapies provide significant cardiovascular benefits, they cause substantial lean mass loss that must be mitigated to optimize outcomes, especially in older adults and those with heart disease.
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Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide coagonists have revolutionized the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. They demonstrate significant cardiovascular benefits, including a reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events and heart failure hospitalizations. However, these medications are associated with substantial lean body mass loss, comprising 15–45% of total weight reduction. This review examines the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying muscle loss with incretin-based therapies, analyzes clinical trial data on body composition changes, explores the bidirectional relationship between sarcopenia and cardiovascular disease, and evaluates emerging pharmacological and lifestyle interventions to preserve muscle mass. Understanding and mitigating muscle loss is critical for optimizing cardiovascular outcomes, particularly in older adults and those with established heart disease, where sarcopenia is associated with increased mortality and functional decline.
Wasserstein et al. (Wed,) reported a other. Glucagon-like peptide-1/GIP therapy leads to lean mass loss of 15–45% of total weight reduction, which could impact cardiovascular outcomes, particularly in older adults.