New Study Links GLP-1 Medications to Lower Risk of Atrial Fibrillation, Independent of Weight Loss
CHICAGO, IL – A new study analyzing data from more than 13,000 patients found that people using the increasingly popular weight-loss drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1-RAs) have a reduced risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), even after accounting for the medications’ effects on weight loss and overall survival. Researchers presented these findings today at Heart Rhythm 2026.
More than 40 million people worldwide live with AF, and in the United States alone, approximately 454,000 hospitalizations each year are associated with the condition.i,ii As new uses and benefits of GLP-1-RAs continue to emerge, researchers increasingly wanted to understand whether these therapies could help prevent AF or treat it. GLP-1-RAs are widely prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity and also are known to improve cardiovascular health, in part through weight loss. However, it is unclear whether their potential benefits for AF are primarily driven by weight reduction or whether the medications may have additional independent cardiovascular effects.
Researchers conducted a single-center retrospective study of 13,034 patients who initiated GLP-1-RA therapy between January 2020 and May 2024. Researchers identified patients through electronic medical records and used propensity score matching to compare them with similar patients from a cohort of more than 385,000 individuals who had never received GLP-1-RA therapy and had no prior diagnosis of AF.
The study found that patients who took GLP-1-RAs experienced significantly better survival than matched patients in the control group. Researchers also found a significantly lower risk of AF among patients taking GLP-1-RAs. Importantly, the reduction in AF risk remained consistent regardless of weight change. Patients who lost 10% or more of their body weight, those who lost less than 10%, and those who gained weight while taking GLP-1-RAs all experienced a reduced risk of AF compared with matched controls. Among the medications studied, semaglutide showed the strongest association with reduced AF risk compared with liraglutide, dulaglutide, and tirzepatide.
“As atrial fibrillation continues to affect more patients worldwide, clinicians need new strategies to reduce risk and improve long-term outcomes,” said Kenneth Bilchick, MD, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Virginia. “These findings suggest GLP-1-RAs may influence heart rhythm through mechanisms beyond weight loss. Understanding those effects could help guide how we approach prevention and treatment of atrial fibrillation in the future.”
This study adds to a growing body of research examining the cardiovascular effects of GLP-1-RAs beyond diabetes and weight management. As researchers continue to explore these therapies, future studies will need to evaluate their potential role in AF prevention and management across larger and more diverse patient populations.
Session Details:
“Clinical Electrophysiology: Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Reduce Atrial Fibrillation Independently of Effects on Weight Loss and Survival” [Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 2:30 pm CT]
i Benjamin EJ, Muntner P, Alonso A, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2019 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2019;139(10):e56–e528.
ii Calkins H, Reynolds MR, Spector P, Sondhi M, Xu Y, et al. (2009) Treatment of atrial fibrillation with antiarrhythmic drugs or radiofrequency ablation: two systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2 (4): 349-361
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