Remember me
For many people, recovery from a heart attack is a journey that requires careful lifestyle tweaks and long-term medication management . While these have historically been lipid-lowering agents or beta-blockers, a new study suggests that GLP-1s might also play a useful role in post-heart-attack treatment.
The study, published in Nature Communications, doesn't propose that everyone who has experienced a heart attack should suddenly hop on a GLP-1, but it does suggest an exciting new potential use for GLP-1s beyond weight loss.
Here’s what doctors say about the new findings.
Meet the experts: Mir Ali, MD, medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California; Svetlana Mastitskaya, PhD, lead study author and senior lecturer in Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the University of Bristol; Zhaoping Li, MD, chief of the Division of Clinical Nutrition at the University of California, Los Angeles; James Udelson, MD, chief of cardiology at Tufts Medical Center.
What did the study find?The study was built on previous work that found small cells (pericytes) tighten capillaries in the heart when the heart muscle is deprived of oxygen-rich blood. Researchers investigated whether GLP-1s could counteract that process and reopen those blood vessels.
The team conducted experiments in animal models and found that GLP-1 medications may improve blood flow to the heart after a heart attack—ideally when administered promptly.
Related Stories
Here's Yet Another Potential Perk of GLP-1s
Scientists Show GLP-1s Can Reduce Alcohol Cravings
How The Ingredients In ‘Natural’ GLP-1 Alternatives Work“We envision that the fast-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist would be given by a paramedic—ideally intravenously—or during the procedure to reopen the blocked artery in the hospital,” says Svetlana Mastitskaya, PhD, lead study author and senior lecturer in Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the University of Bristol. “But the ideal drug candidate, timing, and route of administration need to be determined in clinical trials.”
The findings “suggest the possibility that these drugs, when used in humans, may similarly reduce heart attack size,” explains James Udelson, MD, chief of cardiology at Tufts Medical Center.
Why might GLP-1s help with heart attack recovery?Mastitskaya and her team discovered that GLP-1 medications spark a chain reaction to help widen blood vessels again after a heart attack.
“We found GLP-1 acts directly on pericytes—cells that wrap around the heart's smallest blood vessels and control their diameter,” she says. “During a heart attack, pericytes squeeze these capillaries shut.” But GLP-1 medications bind to receptors on pericytes and open potassium channels, causing the cells to relax their grip and allowing blood to flow through again, she explains.
Related StoryAlso fascinating: this effect is pretty immediate. “This is a direct vascular effect that happens within minutes, independent of any metabolic or appetite changes,” Mastitskaya says.
Beyond the immediate aftermath of a heart attack, a GLP-1 medication can also help support healthier lifestyle factors, says Zhaoping Li, MD, chief of the Division of Clinical Nutrition at the University of California, Los Angeles. “The majority of people at increased risk of heart disease have metabolic syndrome or obesity at the same time,” she explains. “These medications can help people lose weight and reduce the risk of all of these conditions, including future heart attacks.”
What does this mean for the future?GLP-1 medication Wegovy is already FDA-approved to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in people who are overweight or obese. But the latest findings suggest these medications may do even more for heart health.
“This represents a significant additional benefit for GLP-1 users,” says Mir Ali, MD, medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. “However, further research is necessary to determine if the post-heart attack benefits are substantial enough to warrant their use independently of weight loss goals.”
While doctors agree that more research is needed, Li is excited about the possibility of using a GLP-1 to treat heart attacks in the future. “This gives us new tools to help patients after a heart attack,” she says.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.