Study Finds GLP-1 Drugs Associated with Reduced Risk of Substance Use Disorders

A new study published in the BMJ analyzed electronic health records of over 600,000 US veterans with diabetes to assess the effects of GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic, on substance use disorders. Compared to SGLT2 inhibitors, starting GLP-1 treatment was linked to a 14% lower risk of developing new substance use disorders and a 26% reduction in substance-related hospital admissions among those with existing disorders. The study used target trial emulation to approximate randomized trial conditions but acknowledges limitations inherent to observational data.