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  4. Vol 7, Issue 3, 2026

The Efficacy and Safety of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

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DOI: 10.23977/medsc.2026.070316 | Downloads: 0 | Views: 57

Author(s)

Yanchenhan Hao 1

Affiliation(s)

1 College of Clinical Medicine, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, Hebei, 063000, China

Corresponding Author

Yanchenhan Hao

ABSTRACT

The efficacy and safety of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in chronic heart failure (CHF) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients were evaluated by performing a systematic review. Search of relevant literature was performed using five databases: PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and VIP, up to February 1, 2026, and filtered based on the pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were also incorporated, and the efficacy and safety of GLP-1RAs were analyzed in all aspects of fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and adverse reactions. Six RCTs were finally selected to be included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The findings indicated that GLP-1 RAs could significantly lower fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels among patients with CHF and T2DM. Simultaneously, after treatment, LVEF had a tendency to go up, and NT-proBNP levels had a tendency to decline, implying possible advantages in enhancing the functioning of the heart and minimizing the burden of heart failure. None of the included studies reported any serious safety concerns, and the most frequent adverse events were mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal symptoms. The GLP-1 receptor agonist has shown good glucose-lowering effects in patients with chronic heart failure and type 2 diabetes mellitus, and can have positive effects on heart function, which is a promising aspect of its clinical application. Nevertheless, due to the small number of existing studies and differences in the size of the samples and the quality of the studies, more large-scale, multi-center, high-quality RCTs should be conducted to verify their effectiveness and safety.

KEYWORDS

Chronic heart failure; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; GLP-1 receptor agonists; Efficacy; Safety

CITE THIS PAPER

Yanchenhan Hao. The Efficacy and Safety of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. MEDS Clinical Medicine (2026). Vol. 7, No. 3, 117-131. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/medsc.2026.070316.

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