The Surprising Potential of Ozempic and Other GLP-1 Drugs for Type 1 Diabetes

Systemic inequalities continue to influence recommended treatments, even when the same drugs are equally effective for people of all races. In fact, there is good reason to think that blacks and Latinos are particularly suitable candidates for the GLP-1.

According to some statistics, black people are 30 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease, than white people. Additionally, you are less likely to be able to control your blood pressure.

“The presence of cardiovascular disease, such as a history of heart attack, stroke, or heart failure, is an aspect to consider when considering GLP-1, as it has proven benefits in reducing all of these events in diabetic patients,” says Dr. Rao. For this reason, he added, it is important for doctors to take a good medical history and uncover any information that may be related to these symptoms.

People with a high BMI and high A1C levels (measured average blood sugar levels over the past three months) are also good candidates for GLP-1, Rao said. This is especially true because other type 2 diabetes drugs are not able to lower A1C levels as well as these drugs.

Also, if you have chronic kidney disease or are at high risk of developing chronic kidney disease (black Americans are three times more likely to develop kidney failure than white Americans, and Latinos are 1.3 times more likely), taking GLP-1 may also be a good option.

One study found that treatment with semaglutide (a type of GLP-1) reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by 18 percent and the risk of death from any cause by 20 percent in patients with type 2 diabetes and CKD.