The Emerging Role of Glucagon-like Peptide 1 (GLP-1)-Based Medications in the Treatment of Heart Failure, with a Focus on Heart Failure with Preserved or Mildly Reduced Ejection Fraction.

This review examines the emerging role of GLP-1-based medications (such as GLP-1 receptor agonists) in the prevention and treatment of heart failure (HF), with a particular focus on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF). The authors summarize and discuss findings from recent clinical studies reporting HF-related outcomes with these agents. The review highlights the strong pathophysiological connections between type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart failure, positioning GLP-1-based therapies as potentially beneficial across these overlapping conditions. The authors conclude that accumulating evidence supports beneficial effects on HF outcomes—particularly in HFpEF and possibly HFmrEF—while noting that the utility of these medications in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) remains unclear and requires further investigation. As a narrative review, this paper synthesizes existing literature rather than generating new primary data, and its conclusions are therefore dependent on the quality and scope of the studies it includes. It does not establish causality or provide definitive clinical guidance on specific patient populations.

Why this grade: This is a narrative review synthesizing existing studies rather than a primary trial; it does not independently generate human outcome data, so evidence grading reflects the review study design.