The American Heart Association (AHA) has committed $1 million to fund seven new scientific research studies focused on understanding the relationship between GLP-1/GIP medications and cardiovascular risk reduction. The research initiative, launched on April 1, 2025, aims to identify which patients with obesity and cardiovascular disease are most likely to benefit from these increasingly popular medications.
GLP-1/GIP (glucagon-like peptide-1/gastric inhibitory polypeptide) agonists were originally developed to treat diabetes and obesity but have shown promising effects on cardiovascular outcomes. However, researchers have observed that these benefits vary significantly across different patient populations, creating an urgent need to understand these variations.
"While GLP-1 medications have shown great promise in reducing cardiovascular risk, we don't yet fully understand why the benefits vary so widely across different patients groups," said Dr. Jane A. Leopold, American Heart Association volunteer expert and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "This research will help us identify the biological, clinical and social factors that influence treatment response — enabling more precise, effective care for people with obesity and cardiovascular disease."
Research Focus Areas
The seven funded projects will explore different aspects of GLP-1/GIP medications' effects on cardiovascular health:
At the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Dr. Chen Gurevitz will lead research examining how these medications impact heart health in people with existing coronary artery disease, with particular attention to how effects may differ based on weight or cardiovascular risk level.
Dr. Pamela Lutsey at the University of Minnesota will conduct a head-to-head comparison of different GLP-1/GIP medications to determine their relative effectiveness in reducing new or recurrent cardiovascular events.
Duke University's Dr. Brian Mac Grory will investigate whether uptake of these medications varies by demographic factors such as age, sex, race, location, and income, with special attention to impacts on women's health outcomes.
At the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dr. Ambarish Pandey will use machine learning approaches to identify which patient groups respond best to GLP-1 drugs, with a focus on ensuring equitable access and outcomes.
Dr. Anum Saeed from the University of Pittsburgh will study how these medications affect people of different sexes and cardiovascular health backgrounds to develop more personalized treatment approaches.
Boston University's Dr. Andrew Stokes will use an emulated trial design to assess whether initiating GLP-1/GIP drugs leads to fewer cardiovascular events, particularly in communities with significant health disparities.
Dr. Varun Sundaram at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine will explore whether GLP-1 drugs are associated with reduced heart failure risk among people with obesity.
Advanced Research Tools
All researchers will have access to the American Heart Association's Precision Medicine Platform, a state-of-the-art, cloud-based system that enables analysis of large datasets in a secure environment with machine learning capabilities. This resource will be crucial for identifying patterns and predictors of treatment response across diverse patient populations.
Clinical Context and Significance
This research initiative complements a new AHA scientific statement published in Circulation that emphasizes the importance of identifying and treating people at increased risk for heart failure before symptoms develop. Together, these efforts highlight the organization's commitment to proactive, evidence-based strategies across the continuum of cardiovascular care.
The findings from these studies could significantly impact clinical practice by helping healthcare providers tailor treatment strategies and maximize the cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1/GIP medications. This is particularly important as these medications continue to gain popularity for weight management and metabolic health.
"Understanding who benefits most from these medications will allow us to develop more targeted approaches to cardiovascular risk reduction," explained Dr. Leopold. "This could ultimately lead to more efficient use of healthcare resources and better outcomes for patients."
Broader Impact
The American Heart Association has funded more than $5.9 billion in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and brain health research since 1949, making it the single largest non-government supporter of heart and brain health research in the United States.
This latest funding initiative reflects the organization's ongoing commitment to addressing cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death globally. By focusing on the intersection of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular health, these studies address some of the most pressing public health challenges of our time.
The one-year research projects are expected to yield preliminary results by mid-2026, potentially informing clinical guidelines and future research directions in cardiometabolic health.
