Physician Perceptions of the Safety and Efficacy of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Underestimation of Cardiovascular Risk Reduction and Discrepancies with Clinical Evidence
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
3.1. Data Interpretation
3.1.1. Descriptive Statistics
3.1.2. Comparison of Physician Perceptions with Actual Rates in Previous Clinical Trials
3.1.3. Average Weight Loss
3.1.4. Side Effects (%)
3.1.5. Weight Rebound
3.1.6. Discontinuation Rate at 72 Weeks
3.1.7. Cardiovascular Protection and Risk Reduction
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Thank you for your participation in our survey of medical professionals’ perceptions and experiences with novel weight loss medications. Your anonymous responses will contribute to a broader understanding of how these weight loss treatments may be used in clinical practice. |
Please answer the following questions based on your estimation or clinical experience: |
Have you ever prescribed any of the following medications: semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound)? |
In your estimation, what is the average percentage of weight loss in patients taking these weight loss medications? |
In your estimation, what percentage of patients achieve at least 5% weight loss while on these medications? |
In your estimation, what percentage of patients achieve at least 20% weight loss while on these medications? |
Do you believe these medications provide secondary cardiovascular prevention benefits in overweight diabetic patients with established cardiovascular disease? |
Do you believe these medications provide secondary cardiovascular prevention benefits in overweight non-diabetic patients with established cardiovascular disease? |
In your estimation, what percentage of patients experience any side effects from these weight loss medications? |
Please estimate the percentage of patients that experience nausea: |
Please estimate the percentage of patients that experience diarrhea: |
What is your estimation of the rate at which patients discontinue the use of weight loss medications due to any reason? |
In patients who interrupt or stop using weight loss medication, what is your estimation of the percentage of weight that is regained? |
Characteristics | N (%) |
---|---|
Sex | |
Male | 60 (49.2) |
Female | 62 (50.8) |
Age (years), Mean | 41.6 |
Have you prescribed these agents? | |
No | 67 (54.9) |
Yes | 55 (45.1) |
* CV Protection in diabetics | |
No | 63 (51.6) |
Yes | 59 (48.4) |
CV reduction in non-diabetics | |
No | 74 (60.7) |
Yes | 48 (39.3) |
Average weight loss (%), Mean ± SD | 9.22 ± 4.04 |
At least 5% weight loss (%), Mean ± SD | 49.30 ± 18.39 |
At least 20% weight loss (%), Mean ± SD | 18.81 ± 13.74 |
Any side effect (%), Mean ± SD | 32.62 ± 15.96 |
Nausea (%), Mean ± SD | 18.36 ± 11.12 |
Diarrhea (%), Mean ± SD | 7.50 ± 4.95 |
D/C rate at 72 weeks (%), Mean ± SD | 8.59 ± 5.85 |
Weight rebound (%), Mean ± SD | 29.26 ± 20.58 |
Comparison | Physician Mean % (SD, n) | Reference Mean % (SD, n) | t-Value | p-Value | Mean Difference (95% CI) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Average weight loss | |||||
Physicians’ vs. STEP 1 trial * | −9.22 (4.038, 122) | −14.9 (NR, 1306) | −15.533 | <0.001 | −5.679 (−6.40–−4.95) |
Physicians’ vs. SURMOUNT-1 trial * | −9.22 (4.038, 122) | −18.5 (NR, 1896) | −25.380 | <0.001 | −9.279 (−10.00–−8.55) |
Rate of side effects | |||||
Physicians’ vs. STEP 1 trial * | 32.62 (15.957, 122) | 89.7 (15.95, 1306) | −39.508 | <0.001 | −57.077 (−59.94–−54.22) |
Physicians’ vs. SURMOUNT-1 trial * | 32.62 (15.957, 122) | 80.5 (15.95, 1896) | −33.140 | <0.001 | −47.877 (−50.74–−45.02) |
% Weight regained | |||||
Physicians’ vs. STEP 4 trial * | 29.26 (20.577, 122) | 65 (15, 268) | −19.183 | <0.001 | −35.738 (−39.43–−32.05) |
Physicians’ vs. SURMOUNT-4 trial * | 29.26 (20.577, 122) | 67 (15, 335) | −20.257 | <0.001 | −37.738 (−41.43–−34.05) |
Discontinuation rate | |||||
Physicians’ vs. STEP 1 trial * | 8.59 (5.855, 121) | 4.5 (NR, 1306) | 7.678 | <0.001 | 4.087 (3.03–5.14) |
Physicians’ vs. SURMOUNT-1 trial * | 8.59 (5.855, 121) | 5.8 (6.2, 1896) | 5.236 | <0.001 | 2.787 (1.73–3.84) |
Comparison | Observed Successes/Trials | Proportion (95% CI) | Test Value | Z Score | One-Tailed p-Value |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CV protection in diabetics | 59/122 | 0.484 (0.397–0.571) | 0.5 | −0.362 | 0.359 |
CV reduction in non-diabetics * | 48/122 | 0.393 (0.311–0.482) | 0.5 | −2.354 | 0.009 |
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Krishnan, S.; Srivastava, P.K.; Attaluri, J.; Nayeri, R.; Chatterjee, D.; Patel, J.; Nsair, A.; Budoff, M.; Nayeri, A. Physician Perceptions of the Safety and Efficacy of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Underestimation of Cardiovascular Risk Reduction and Discrepancies with Clinical Evidence. J. Cardiovasc. Dev. Dis. 2025, 12, 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd12010019
Krishnan S, Srivastava PK, Attaluri J, Nayeri R, Chatterjee D, Patel J, Nsair A, Budoff M, Nayeri A. Physician Perceptions of the Safety and Efficacy of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Underestimation of Cardiovascular Risk Reduction and Discrepancies with Clinical Evidence. Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease. 2025; 12(1):19. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd12010019
Chicago/Turabian StyleKrishnan, Srikanth, Pratyaksh K. Srivastava, Jayram Attaluri, Rebecca Nayeri, Dhananjay Chatterjee, Jay Patel, Ali Nsair, Matthew Budoff, and Arash Nayeri. 2025. "Physician Perceptions of the Safety and Efficacy of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Underestimation of Cardiovascular Risk Reduction and Discrepancies with Clinical Evidence" Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease 12, no. 1: 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd12010019
APA StyleKrishnan, S., Srivastava, P. K., Attaluri, J., Nayeri, R., Chatterjee, D., Patel, J., Nsair, A., Budoff, M., & Nayeri, A. (2025). Physician Perceptions of the Safety and Efficacy of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Underestimation of Cardiovascular Risk Reduction and Discrepancies with Clinical Evidence. Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 12(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd12010019