GLP-1 drugs increase risk of acid reflux, GERD, study finds
People with type 2 diabetes were more likely to suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) if they were prescribed a GLP-1 drug compared to those taking sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, researchers reported Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
"We estimated that most GLP-1 [drugs] increased risk for GERD," concluded the research team led by Laurent Azoulay, an associate professor with the Jewish General Hospital's Center for Clinical Epidemiology in Montreal, Canada.
The risk for serious GERD-related complications was higher among smokers, people with obesity and folks with existing stomach problems, researchers said.
"Although our findings need to be corroborated in other studies, clinicians and patients should be aware of a possible adverse effect of GLP-1 [drugs] on GERD," researchers noted.
For the study, researchers tracked more than 24,700 type 2 diabetics newly prescribed GLP-1 drugs, comparing their health to that of more than 89,000 who were prescribed SGLT-2 inhibitors.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs mimic the GLP-1 hormone, which helps control insulin and blood sugar levels, decreases appetite and slows digestion of food.
Because the drugs slow the rate at which food passes through the stomach, researchers thought they might increase the risk of acid reflux.
GERD occurs when acid reflux happens repeatedly over time, the Mayo Clinic says. If it continues, GERD can cause scarring and narrowing of the esophagus and increase a person's risk of esophageal cancer.
Results show that people taking GLP-1 drugs were 27% more likely to develop GERD and 55% more likely to have GERD complications, when compared to people taking SGLT-2 inhibitors.
More than 90% of GERD complications involved Barrett esophagus, in which acid damage changes the tissue lining of the esophagus and increases cancer risk, researchers noted.
"We also found that the risk for GERD was higher with long-acting GLP-1 (drug) use," researchers wrote.
However, they noted that these findings need to be verified by studies involving other groups, including those taking GLP-1 drugs for obesity.
"There is limited evidence on the risk for GERD among patients with obesity who do not have type 2 diabetes," researchers wrote. "Use of GLP-1 [drugs] is rapidly expanding in this population, highlighting an important area for future research."
More information
The Mayo Clinic has more on GERD.
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