Taking a GLP-1 may also help your heart
September 2026
story courtesy of UVA Health
If you’re prescribed a GLP-1 medication such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound to help manage your weight or blood sugar and also have a heart rhythm condition called atrial fibrillation (AFib), a new study from UVA Health offers encouraging news. Researchers found that GLP-1 medications were associated with a lower risk of AFib. Surprisingly, the benefit may not depend entirely on how much weight patients lose.
WHAT IS AFIB?
AFib is a condition in which the heart beats irregularly (an arrhythmia). Instead of maintaining a steady rhythm, the upper chambers of the heart flutter or quiver. This can increase the risk of stroke, heart failure and other serious complications.
The condition is common. More than 40 million people worldwide live with AFib, and in the U.S., it contributes to nearly 454,000 hospitalizations each year.
WHAT ARE GLP-1 MEDICATIONS?
GLP-1 medications were originally developed to treat Type 2 diabetes, but many people now use them as medications for weight loss. Semaglutide and tirzepatide — two GLP-1s — have been shown to provide several cardiovascular benefits beyond improving blood sugar control.
LOWER RISK REGARDLESS OF WEIGHT
Researchers at UVA Health analyzed data from 12,812 patients treated with GLP-1s between 2020 and 2023. They compared them with a matched control group of 12,812 patients who didn’t receive the medications. They found that patients taking GLP-1 medications had a significantly lower risk of developing AFib, as well as fewer deaths overall in the group.
One of the most surprising findings was that the risk of AFib decreased even among patients who gained weight while taking GLP-1 medications.
“The survival curves in all three groups indicated that there was a reduction in the risk of incident atrial fibrillation regardless of whether you gained weight, lost a little weight or lost a lot of weight,” says Dr. Kenneth Bilchick, a UVA Health heart rhythm specialist who co-led the study along with Dr. Tiago Palmisano and Dr. David Guarraia.
EFFECTS ON HEART HEALTH?
If weight loss alone doesn’t explain the benefit, inflammation may play an important role. A layer of fatty tissue surrounds the heart. When this tissue becomes inflamed, it can contribute to abnormal heart rhythms such as AFib.
Bilchick believes GLP-1 medications may help reduce inflammation in this tissue. “We believe that one of the important mechanisms underlying this effect is likely reduction of inflammation in the fatty tissue around the heart, which we know is an important driver of arrhythmias and other unwanted cardiac outcomes,” he says.
The study suggested that the reduction in AFib risk was most apparent after about two years of therapy, and older adults appeared to benefit the most. Patients 65 and older experienced approximately a 44% reduction in AFib risk.
More research is needed, especially regarding how different GLP-1 medications, doses and treatment durations affect weight loss, inflammation, glucose control, AFib risk and long-term cardiovascular health. However, the growing body of evidence suggests these medications may soon play an even greater role in protecting cardiovascular health and maintaining normal heart rhythm.
For more information, visit uvahealth.com/healthy-balance/glp-1-may-also-help-heart.