A retrospective cohort study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe on Monday 9 November 2026, has explored the link between discontinuing GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA) medication and health outcomes in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
The study suggests an association between stopping GLP-1 RA treatment and an increase in cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, Professor Naveed Sattar, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine at the University of Glasgow, highlighted that the findings are observational and do not necessarily mean that stopping the medication directly causes an immediate increase in risk.
Professor Sattar noted that people who discontinue treatment may differ systematically from those who continue, potentially having characteristics associated with a higher underlying risk of future disease. He added that factors such as poorer adherence, adverse effects, socioeconomic circumstances, or deteriorating health could contribute to both treatment discontinuation and subsequent outcomes.
While randomised controlled trials have demonstrated that initiating approved obesity medications can reduce cardiovascular risk in appropriate patient groups, Professor Sattar stated that randomised evidence specifically examining the consequences of treatment discontinuation on cardiovascular outcomes remains limited. He advised that observational findings like these should be interpreted cautiously and not assumed to demonstrate a causal effect of stopping therapy.