**New Study Finds Popular Weight Loss Drugs Safe for People with High Triglycerides**
A major new study from Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City has found that popular weight loss drugs do not raise the risk of pancreatitis or heart problems in people with very high triglycerides. This brings welcome reassurance to both patients and doctors who have been cautious about using these medications.
These drugs, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP1RAs), have become widely used for weight loss and diabetes management. Since their approval in 2005, they’ve helped millions of people lose weight and lower blood sugar levels. However, many doctors have avoided prescribing them to patients with extremely high triglyceride levels—above 500 milligrams per deciliter—because such patients are already at risk for pancreatitis, a painful and sometimes deadly inflammation of the pancreas.
The pancreas is one of the organs affected by GLP1RA medications, leading to concerns about whether these drugs might exacerbate the condition.
In the new research, however, the team at Intermountain Health found no evidence that GLP1RA drugs increase the risk of pancreatitis. In fact, the study showed that for patients who had never experienced pancreatitis, taking one of these medications reduced their risk of developing it by about four times compared to those not taking the drugs.
“Pancreatitis is incredibly painful and can be deadly. Once a patient has had it, you never want to risk causing it again,” said Leslie Iverson, a clinician specializing in cardiovascular prevention and research at Intermountain Health. “But our findings show no link between pancreatitis and GLP1RA use in people with high triglycerides. Even better, these medications may actually protect against developing it in the first place.”
The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s 2025 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans on November 9.
### Study Details
Researchers reviewed medical records of patients treated at Intermountain Health from January 2006 to April 2025. They looked at adults over 18 who had either type 2 diabetes or a body mass index (BMI) above 27, indicating overweight or obesity.
Out of 346,667 patients studied, 3,834—or just over 1%—had been prescribed a GLP1RA medication. When the researchers compared outcomes between patients who took GLP1RA drugs and those who didn’t, they found no increase in the risk of pancreatitis. This held true even among patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia, where triglyceride levels exceed 500.
In fact, among patients with high triglycerides who had never had pancreatitis, those taking a GLP1RA were four times less likely to develop it.
“These results show that having high triglycerides is not a reason to avoid prescribing these medications,” Iverson said. “If a patient could benefit from them, they should be considered a safe option.”
### Additional Benefits: Triglyceride Reduction
Iverson also noted another encouraging finding: many patients taking GLP1RA drugs saw their triglyceride levels drop. This makes sense because the medications help control diabetes and reduce obesity—two major contributors to high triglycerides.
By improving these underlying conditions, GLP1RAs may naturally help lower triglyceride levels and improve heart health.
### Why This Study Matters
The study is important because it addresses one of the main concerns that has made some doctors hesitant to use GLP1RA drugs in patients with high triglycerides. The reassurance that these medications are safe—and may even reduce future risk—could change how doctors manage patients at risk for both obesity and pancreatitis.
Overall, the research suggests that GLP1RA medications could offer a safer and more effective treatment approach for people with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and high triglycerides. They not only help patients lose weight and control blood sugar but may also protect the pancreas and heart in the long term.
These findings mark another milestone in understanding how modern weight loss drugs can improve health beyond weight reduction alone.
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**If you care about weight loss, also consider reading about:**
– Studies showing that hop extract could reduce belly fat in overweight individuals.
– How early time-restricted eating might help with weight loss.
For more health information, see recent studies revealing:
– The Mediterranean diet can reduce belly fat more effectively.
– The Keto diet may help control body weight and blood sugar in diabetes.
https://knowridge.com/2025/11/weight-loss-drugs-safe-for-people-with-high-triglycerides-study-shows/