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Review
. 2021 Dec 15;20(1):235.
doi: 10.1186/s12933-021-01417-0.

Oral GLP-1 analogue: perspectives and impact on atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients

José Francisco Kerr Saraiva  1 , Denise Franco  2
Affiliations
Review

Oral GLP-1 analogue: perspectives and impact on atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients

José Francisco Kerr Saraiva et al. Cardiovasc Diabetol. .

Abstract

Cardiovascular events related to atherosclerosis are responsible for high morbidity and mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes. Improvement in care, especially in early stages, is crucial. Oral semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 analogue, controls blood glucose and results in significant body weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes. Beyond these well-known effects, an interesting aspect of this drug is its antiatherogenic activity, which should be further explored in clinical practice. This paper reviews the evidence related to oral semaglutide decreasing cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes, focusing on the drug's antiatherosclerotic properties. The glucagon-like peptide 1 analogue restores endothelial dysfunction, induces vasodilatation, and reduces plasma lipids. Oral semaglutide showed cardiovascular safety profile, with significant reduced risk of death from cardiovascular events. Based on current data, clinicians should consider oral semaglutide for type 2 diabetes management.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular disease; Diabetes; Glucagon-like peptide 1; Oral semaglutide; Stroke prevention.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr. José Francisco Kerr Saraiva is the national leader of the SOUL and SELECT trials. He is part of the Novo Nordisk Global Expert Panel. He receives fees to give lectures by Novo Nordisk, Lilly, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck, and Sharp & Dohme. Dr. Denise Franco is the principal investigator in cardiovascular risk studies of oral and injectable semaglutide. She is part of the Novo Nordisk, Medtronic, Sanofi, Abbott, and Biomm advisory boards. She receives fees to give lectures by Novo Nordisk, Lilly, Novartis, AstraZeneca, Medtronic, Biomm, Sanofi, Abbott, and Roche.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Cardiovascular disease continuum-GLP-1 action. Adapted from [46]
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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