How Weight Loss Drugs Can Protect Heart Health

June 23, 2026

A young woman in plus-size sports clothes training and drinking water at home

More people than ever are turning to medication for help with weight loss. As newer GLP-1 drugs have been developed, they’re also helping people manage their heart health.

“Compared to other medications, GLP-1s have been highly effective and the amount of weight loss they can help patients achieve is significant,” says Ian Neeland, MD, Director of Cardiovascular Prevention at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. “They can also help improve many cardiovascular and metabolic conditions.”

GLP-1s and Heart Health

GLP-1s were initially prescribed as diabetes medications because they helped stabilize blood sugar, says Dr. Neeland. Experts wanted to understand their impact on heart disease, and launched a a major study about a decade ago.

“The research found that these drugs are safe for patients with cardiovascular disease, and that GLP-1s actually reduced the risk of developing cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes,” he says. “Since then, many other trials have shown their benefits across a host of cardiometabolic conditions.”

The Importance of a Healthy Body Weight

Being overweight affects more than just body size. “Obesity, which we define as having excess body fat, is a chronic medical disease,” says Dr. Neeland. “Unfortunately, it leads to many different health problems.”

It’s normal for a certain amount of body fat to get stored in the tissue under your skin, but another kind of fat, called visceral fat, is especially harmful. “Visceral fat can spill into places where it doesn’t belong, like the liver, heart, pancreas and skeletal muscle,” says Dr. Neeland. “It can also drive inflammation and metabolic dysfunction.”

Where you carry excess weight can impact other systems in your body, including your cardiovascular system. People with apple-shaped bodies (those that carry excess fat around the belly) tend to have more visceral fat. This puts them at greater risk of health problems like high blood pressure, high triglycerides and high cholesterol than people with pear-shaped bodies, where weight tends to be carried around the hips, rather than the waist.

Excess body fat, especially visceral fat around the organs, can contribute to a range of health conditions, including:

For people who are overweight or obese, losing weight can improve health in many ways, including lowering the risk of cardiometabolic conditions. “People who are using GLP-1s are finding that with 10%, 15% and 20% body weight loss, they’re feeling better and their medical conditions are improving,” says Dr. Neeland.

Heart Benefits That Go Beyond Weight Loss

Weight loss itself can improve many risk factors associated with heart disease, but researchers believe that GLP-1s may also benefit heart health directly. “This class of drugs acts systemically,” says Dr. Neeland. “GLP-1s can really impact people with conditions that are interconnected in the heart, kidney and metabolic systems.” Even when taken at low doses without significant weight loss, they benefit heart health.

GLP-1s can help:

Reduce appetite and interest in food, making people less hungry through effects on the brain.
Slow down the gut and delay the emptying of the stomach, increasing fullness.
Improve insulin secretion and blood sugar control, benefitting metabolic and vascular health.

“Healthy lifestyle changes are the cornerstone of weight loss therapy,” says Dr. Neeland. Eating a nutritious diet, reducing calories and increasing physical activity are all key to managing weight. “But GLP-1s can be added to help boost weight loss for long-term benefits.”

What Are the Risks?

Like many medical treatments, GLP-1s are not without risk and they are not designed for patients to manage on their own. “I would not recommend taking these medications without a doctor’s supervision,” says Dr. Neeland. “There are side effects that people don’t necessarily know about, like tachycardia, where your heart rate can speed up to 20 beats per minute more than normal.”

Some people also experience loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, especially when they start the therapy or increase their dosage. Muscle loss can also be a concern, especially if you’re not exercising, weight training or supplementing with protein.

There are also other side effects that can range from mild (like headaches and dizziness) to severe (like pancreatitis and kidney damage). “Just like any medication for a chronic disease, it’s important to speak with a doctor about the potential side effects and how to manage them,” says Dr. Neeland.

Why GLP-1s Are Not a Short-Term Fix

These medications are designed for long-term weight management. It takes time to reach the maximum effective dose that can be well-tolerated. “GLP-1s are only going to work if you’re taking them,” says Dr. Neeland. If you stop, the benefits are likely to reverse. Regaining weight is common. Blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels are also likely to rise again after discontinuing treatment.

“As long as you’re following your doctor’s guidance and taking your medication as directed, if it’s effective and the side effects aren’t intolerable, I would recommend continuing to take GLP-1s over the long term, much like you do your blood pressure medications.”