Key TakeawaysGLP-1 drugs might increase a persons risk of severe acid refluxPeople with type 2 diabetes taking GLP-1 drugs had a higher risk of GERD, a disease caused by acid refluxGERD can cause damage to the esophagus and increase risk of esophageal cancer.TUESDAY, July 15, 2025 (HealthDay News) Folks using GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic are more likely to suffer from severe acid reflux, a new study says.People with type 2 diabetes were more likely to suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) if they were prescribed a GLP-1 drug compared to those taking sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, researchers reported today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.We estimated that most GLP-1 (drugs) increased risk for GERD, concluded the research team led by Laurent Azoulay, an associate professor with the Jewish General Hospitals Center for Clinical Epidemiology in Montreal, Canada.The risk for serious GERD-related complications was higher among smokers, people with obesity and folks with existing stomach problems, researchers said.Although our findings need to be corroborated in other studies, clinicians and patients should be aware of a possible adverse effect of GLP-1 (drugs) on GERD, researchers noted.For the study, researchers tracked more than 24,700 type 2 diabetics newly prescribed GLP-1 drugs, comparing their health to that of more than 89,000 who were prescribed SGLT-2 inhibitors.Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs mimic the GLP-1 hormone, which helps control insulin and blood sugar levels, decreases appetite and slows digestion of food.Because the drugs slow the rate at which food passes through the stomach, researchers thought they might increase the risk of acid reflux.GERD occurs when acid reflux happens repeatedly over time, the Mayo Clinic says
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