A study conducted at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit found that a class of medications commonly prescribed to lower blood sugar in diabetic patients appears to protect them from developing heart failure. The retrospective study looked at 4,427 diabetic patients who were taking blood glucose lowering medications at Henry Ford Hospital between January 1, 2000 and July 1, 2012. Of these patients, 1,488 were taking GLP-1 medications (glucagon-like peptide-1 analogs) and DPP-4 I (dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors) and 2,939 were not.

Over an observation time of 663 days, there were 281 hospitalizations, of which 184 were due to heart failure and 158 deaths. Use of GLP1 medications was associated with a reduced risk of hospitalization for heart failure or any other reason, as well as fewer deaths."These preliminary results look very promising," says Dr. Lanfear, Henry Ford researcher and Cardiologist. However this was a retrospective study and this subject needs further investigation.