Swedish cohort links GLP-1 agonists to halved ischemic stroke risk

The wire

1. 01In 171,917 Swedes with type 2 diabetes followed a mean 3.0 years, GLP-1 receptor agonist use was associated with ischemic stroke HR 0.46 (95% CI 0.29-0.72) and total stroke HR 0.51.
2. 02Findings sit alongside 91 identified meta-analyses, where randomised trials show GLP-1 protection and neutral effects for SGLT2 and DPP-4 inhibitors, supporting class-level stroke counselling.
3. 03Observational design with marginal structural models and multiple imputation cannot prove causation; hemorrhagic stroke events were few (428), leaving that outcome uncertain.

From the source

The effect of SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, or DPP-4 inhibitors on stroke risk in type 2 diabetes: a nationwide longitudinal cohort study in Sweden with contextualisation analysis

EClinicalMedicine · 2026 Oct · Mavridis A, Abzhandadze T, Buvarp D et al.