GLP-1 Drugs Linked to Fewer Surgical Complications

Adults with diabetes or obesity who use these drugs had lower rates of heart events and infections after elective surgery in a large observational study.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Diabetes

Bold vector editorial illustration of a plain glass vial beside a surgical instrument tray on a pale surface, linked by a thin line of light. — A large observational study found adults with diabetes or obesity who use GLP-1 drugs had fewer heart events and infections after elective surgery. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you feel more confident about surgery if you were taking a GLP-1 medication?

A study presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists' annual meeting found that patients who used GLP-1 receptor agonists before elective noncardiac surgery had lower odds of major adverse cardiovascular events and postoperative infections. The findings apply to adults with diabetes or obesity who undergo elective surgery lasting more than 60 minutes and require at least 24 hours of hospitalization afterward.

Why it matters

Many patients on these medications face surgery, and clinicians have been uncertain whether to continue or pause them beforehand, so large-scale data on outcomes can inform those conversations. The analysis draws on a very large real-world database, which helps show patterns across diverse patients, though it cannot prove the drugs caused the differences.

This retrospective observational study analyzed more than 2.0 million adults who had elective surgery lasting over 60 minutes, comparing 145,610 GLP-1 RA users with nonusers using propensity score matching at a 1:4 ratio. Major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 1.0 percent of users versus 1.1 percent of nonusers, and postoperative infections in 4.9 percent versus 5.3 percent.

The players

American Society of Anesthesiologists

A professional medical society representing anesthesiologists that organizes the annual ANESTHESIOLOGY meeting where research on perioperative care is presented.

The details

GLP-1 receptor agonists mimic a gut hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and appetite, and researchers have been studying whether they also influence inflammation and cardiovascular stress. In this analysis, researchers matched users to nonusers with similar characteristics to reduce differences between the groups before comparing outcomes. Postoperative MACE and infection rates were then compared between the matched groups.

The findings were presented October 16 to 20, 2026, at the ANESTHESIOLOGY annual meeting in San Diego.

Health Landscape

GLP-1 receptor agonists have become widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes and obesity, and clinicians are increasingly asking how they interact with surgery and anesthesia. Large electronic health record databases like EPIC COSMOS are now used to examine real-world outcomes beyond the controlled settings of clinical trials.

If you use a GLP-1 receptor agonist and have surgery planned, it is worth asking your surgeon and anesthesia team how your medication should be managed before the procedure. The findings suggest lower rates of certain complications among users, but individual decisions should be made with your physician.

The takeaway

Large real-world data suggest GLP-1 receptor agonist users may have fewer some postoperative complications, though observational results do not prove cause. Before any surgery, discuss your medication plan with your care team.