GLP-1 Initiation in Heart Failure Reduces Pulmonary Artery Pressure, Hospitalizations

GLP-1 or dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists substantially reduce pulmonary artery (PA) pressure in patients with heart failure (HF), according to a recent study.¹

These data were presented at the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) Annual Scientific Meeting 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona, by Christopher Maulion, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Yale University School of Medicine.¹

“Limited data exist on their direct hemodynamic effects in patients with obesity and HF,” Maulion and colleagues wrote. “This study evaluated the effects of GLP-1 and dual GLP-1 and GIP on hemodynamic parameters measured by the CardioMEMs HF system, loop diuretic requirements, and HF hospitalizations.”¹

The CardioMEMs device, developed by Abbott and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2014, is a wireless sensor implanted inside a branch of the pulmonary artery via an outpatient catheterization procedure. The device allows for real-time remote monitoring of PA pressure, which serves as an early indicator of HF due to its position as an indicator of fluid buildup. The device allows clinicians to intervene prior to the onset of acute cardiac decompensation.²

Maulion and colleagues conducted a multicenter retrospective analysis using the Yale Joint Data Analytics Team (JDAT) database, identifying patients with HF who had been implanted with the CardioMEMs system and who had received either semaglutide or tirzepatide for ≥6 months during the study period. The team recorded baseline demographics, PA pressures, weight, use of loop diuretics, and biomarkers were measured at baseline and 3 and 6 months after treatment initiation. Additionally, significant cardiac events, including HF hospitalizations and urgent care visits, were recorded 1 year before and 1 year after initiation.¹

A total of 506 patients were implanted with the CardioMEMs system – of these, 60 patients were included in the present study for analysis. 48 of these patients initiated treatment with semaglutide, while 12 were treated with tirzepatide. The mean age among these patients was 63.7 +/- 14.5 years, and 65% of patients were male. The mean baseline weight was 116 +/- 25 kg. Baseline PA systolic pressure was 46 +/- 13 mmHg.¹

Substantial reductions in systolic PA pressure were recorded at 3 months (-2.75 +/- 7.37 mmHg; P = .02) and 6 months (-3.74 +/- 8.47 mmHg; P = .01) following treatment initiation. Maulion and colleagues also reported a decrease in PA mean pressure of -2.67 +/- 5.55 mmHg (P = .007) and PA diastolic pressure of -1.7 +/- 3.95 mmHg (P = .02) at 6 months. Weight also decreased by -2.77 +/- 4.1 kg (-2.3%) at 3 months and -5.19 +/- 7.23 kg (-4.4%) at 6 months.¹

Maulion and colleagues noted that loop diuretic use decreased from 85% at baseline to 67% at 6 months, with no significant change in furosemide equivalent dosing (P = .26). Similarly, HF hospitalizations decreased from 1.2 +/- 1.42 to 0.3 +/- 0.62 per year (P <.001). The team found a modest correlation between changes in weight and PA pressure during the study period (r = .18; P = .34).¹

Ultimately, the team concluded that initiation of either GLP-1 agonists or dual GLP-1/GIP agonists led to substantial reductions in PA pressures among patients with HF. Additionally, the weight reductions shown in this analysis were lower compared to prior cardiovascular outcome trials.¹

“Additional research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these treatments in HF and obesity,” Maulion and colleagues wrote.¹

References

1. Opayemi I, Tong G, Zeng Y, et al. Retrospective Analysis of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Use and Hemodynamic Trends in Heart Failure Patients With Cardiomems HF System. Abstract presented at the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) Annual Scientific Meeting 2026, Phoenix, AZ. October 9-12, 2026.

2. Tolu-Akinnawo O, Akhtar N, Zalavadia N, Guglin M. CardioMEMS Heart Failure System: An Up-to-Date Review. Cureus. 2025;17(1):e77816. Published 2025 Jan 22. doi:10.7759/cureus.77816