Antidiabetes drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide potentially lower dementia and stroke risk by up to 37% in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Digest
Type 2 diabetes and obesity increase a person's risk of developing dementia and other forms of neurodegeneration, particularly when the two conditions occur together. However, newer antidiabetes drugs may mitigate this risk. A recent study found that people taking the antidiabetes drugs semaglutide or tirzepatide were 37% less likely to develop dementia than those taking other diabetes medications.
Researchers analyzed electronic health records from more than 60,000 adults in the United States who had both type 2 diabetes and obesity. All participants began treatment with semaglutide, tirzepatide, or another type of antidiabetic medication between late 2017 and mid-2024. The researchers matched participants in the different treatment groups by age, sex, and health status and tracked their health for up to seven years.
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People who took semaglutide or tirzepatide had a 37% lower risk of dementia, a 19% lower risk of stroke, and a 30% lower likelihood of dying during the study period than those on other antidiabetic drugs. These benefits were even greater among people over age 60, women, and those with a body mass index between 30 and 40. However, the risk of Parkinson's disease and brain bleeds did not differ between the groups.
These findings suggest that antidiabetes drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide offer protection against cognitive decline and stroke, possibly extending life expectancy in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are GLP-1RA drugs. Learn more about this class of medication in Aliquot #128: The Expanding Role of Weight Loss Drugs