For people with type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide and dulaglutide lower the chance of having a stroke caused by a blood clot by nearly 1 in 6 — more than any other diabetes medicine.

Taking GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic doesn’t seem to lower the chance of having a stroke for people who are overweight or obese but don’t have diabetes, at least compared to taking a dummy pill.

Among adults with type 2 diabetes who start injectable treatment, those who begin a GLP-1 receptor agonist have a 41% lower risk of dying from any cause and a 41% lower risk of having a stroke over two years compared to those who start basal insulin, based on observed data adjusted for other health factors.

GLP-1 diabetes drugs help prevent heart attacks and strokes mainly by lowering blood sugar and helping people lose weight—not by lowering blood pressure or bad cholesterol.

Among adults with type 2 diabetes starting injectable treatment, those using GLP-1 receptor agonists had a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, or death over two years compared to those using basal insulin, based on statistical analysis of patient data.

If you're an overweight or obese adult without diabetes, taking GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic might lower your chances of having a heart attack by about 27% compared to taking a fake pill.