A systematic review reveals that GLP-1 receptor agonists may help reduce certain substance use disorders, but findings are inconsistent due to study variability and patient differences. Review: POTENTIAL ROLE OF GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDE-1 (GLP-1) RECEPTOR AGONISTS IN SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF RANDOMIZED TRIALS . Image Credit: Designua / Shutterstock A systematic review published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence provides a detailed analysis of the findings of available clinical trials that investigated the effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists on substance use disorder.
Background Substance use disorder is a leading public health concern, affecting approximately 40 million people worldwide. A 23% increase in its prevalence has been observed in 2021 compared to that observed over the past ten years. GLP-1 receptor agonists are primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar and reducing food intake.
Recent estimates indicate that about 5 million and 280 million people are affected by cocaine use disorder and alcohol use disorder, respectively. The mortality rate associated with cocaine overdose is also increasing rapidly worldwide, exceeding opioid overdose-related deaths. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), alcohol use disorder is associated with 5.
3% of deaths and 5.1% of the global burden of disease and injury. Similar to alcohol, tobacco smoking is another leading cause of premature death.
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