Most patients who discontinue GLP-1 receptor agonists will restart them, commence new medicines or pursue lifestyle modifications within a year, a real-world study suggests.

While randomised controlled trials suggest patients who stop GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) regain significant weight, researchers from the Cleveland Clinic in the US have now conducted an observational study of 8000 patients who discontinued a GLP-1 RA within 3-12 months of initiation.

Of 3321 patients with obesity, 14% restarted the same drug, 26% started a new medication — such as a different GLP-1 RA, phentermine, topiramate or bupropion — and 20% saw a health professional to help with lifestyle changes after one year of follow-up.

Among 4617 patients with type 2 diabetes, more restarted the same GLP-1 RA (24%) or switched to another medication (29%), while fewer sought lifestyle modification help (9%), the study in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism found.