By Colin Kenny, Editor – Diabetes Distilled
This cardiovascular outcome study compared the once-weekly glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist albiglutide to placebo in people with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Investigators wanted to determine whether albiglutide use was safe and effective in the prevention of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction or stroke. They enrolled almost 10,000 patients living with diabetes and cardiovascular disease in a multicentred trial and followed them up for a median of 1.6 years. They discovered that albiglutide was superior to placebo in preventing major adverse cardiovascular events in this patient group.
This double-blind randomised, placebo-controlled multinational trial recruited individuals aged 40 years and older who had type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Participants were randomly allocated to receive a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide or a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. In total, 9,463 participants were enrolled, with 4,731 patients being assigned to the albiglutide group and 4,732 to the placebo group. Participants were followed for a median duration of 1.6 years.
The primary composite outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction or stroke occurred in 7% of patients receiving albigutide and 9% of those receiving placebo. This equated to an incidence rate of 4.6 events per 100 person-years for the albiglutide group versus 5.9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group. These results demonstrated that albiglutide was superior to placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The investigators suggest that findings of this study reinforce the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes.
To access the publication, click here
