Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study
Effects of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist Initiation in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction and Implantable Cardiac Devices
- Retrospective cohort study
- single-centre
- matched
Authors' conclusion
In this retrospective analysis of patients with HFrEF and implanted cardiac devices, GLP1RA use was associated with significant increase in heart rate and increased number of nonsustained ventricular events and total shock/antitachycardia pacing therapies.
Study context
- Population
- Outpatients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and implanted cardiac devices, cardiorenal clinics, single quaternary care hospital, Canada53 vs 53 compared
- Participants
- 253 outpatients
- Exposure
- GLP-1 receptor agonist use vs no use
- GLP1RA usersn = 53
- GLP1RA nonusersn = 53reference
- Outcome
- Change in heart rate (device interrogation reports)
- Follow-up
- 1-year follow-up
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Heart rate change (adjusted) · 1 year
GLP1RA use (vs no use) significantly increased heart rate
+7 beats/min (95% CI: 4-10 beats/min; P < 0.01)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Safety
VT/VF events
- GLP1RA use vs no use: numeric increase in VT/VF events
- 13 vs 2; P = 0.07
Nonsustained ventricular events and total shock/antitachycardia pacing therapies
- GLP1RA use vs no use: significant increase
- 33 vs 3; P = 0.01
Original publication
Effects of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist Initiation in Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction and Implantable Cardiac Devices. JACC Heart Fail. Published 23 September 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jchf.2025.102573
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it