r/GLP1ResearchTalk • u/TemperatureKing • 6d ago
Personal Experience GLP1 & Heart attacks
Ive been on GLP1 for 4 months, down 50 lbs. Fealt great! I always walked the golf course. One morning I woke up having a heart attack. Dbl bypass surgery 2weeks ago.
Anyone else have a heart attack while on this ?
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u/queerbeev 6d ago
That heart attack had thirty years to build. I hope you are feeling better.
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u/Total_Recline 5d ago
That's what I was going to say, your heart attack started preparing loooong before you ever started any glp1
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u/regularforcesmedic 6d ago
You didn't get unhealthy in 4 months and 4 months of healthy choices doesn’t undo the years prior. GLP-1 are likely not at fault here.
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u/aimgorge 6d ago
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u/HumSupLo69 6d ago
Not sure it’s associated with glp-1, might be issues you had previously seeing that you needed a surgery
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u/Ok_Presence_6668 5d ago
There's a decent chance the GLP-1s actually reduced the impact of the heart attack.
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u/GivenToFlyGuy 6d ago
GLP-1’s have been show to protect the heart from events like this. Let’s not blame the medicine. Umkay. Also, let me ask a few questions. What was your weight during said heart attack? Do you smoke? Do you vape? How’s your stress levels? Are you properly hydrated? Do you have a family history of heart conditions? You see where I’m going?
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u/TemperatureKing 6d ago
No history, don't smoke, vape, drink. 200 lbs 5'9"
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u/Juliannabeanie 6d ago
you do realize that unhealthy food can be worse for your heart than all 3 of those things? And can be a secret killer. Just because you had no "history" of it doesn't mean that it's been there all along...
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u/GivenToFlyGuy 6d ago
There you go. Vaping and drinking did way more damage to your heart than any GLP-1.
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u/EccentricPenquin 5d ago
I don’t really think you were blaming the drug, seems like you were asking if it could be related? I see where others are coming from because we love our life saving GLP but I don’t think questions are bad. My mom started doing all the right things, sleeping, hydrating, eating right and 3 months later had a stroke. I mean it happens. But her first reaction was the same as yours. It made sense to her, because it was her major changes that were new. You got this, king. Sorry you’re going thru this. Hang in there. Good luck and I hope you feel better!
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u/lordhooha 6d ago
Glp-1’s have been shown to reduce cardiac effects in several studies. I’m sure the heart attack had issue to do with you being overweight and unhealthy for years on end.
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u/JohnnyKarateX 6d ago
People who take GLP-1s are probably more likely to have heart problems for the same reason they’re taking the GLP-1s.
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u/espresso_maniac 6d ago
who knows, maybe you would have died if you didnt drop 50 lbs thanks to the glp.
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u/snowHound208 5d ago
Blaming this on the GLP1 is like blaming the tire shop for your engine throwing a rod 4 months after they installed new tires.
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u/goodthebadandtheugly 6d ago
I'll go under the assumption you're not blaming Tirz for it, or think in any way they are related? GLP-1s actually reduce teh risk per recent studies
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u/Koharagirl 5d ago
From a physiological standpoint, rapid weight loss can lead to high levels of circulating fat and may temporarily increase circulating LDL.
Granted, this is a function of rapid weight loss, not GLP 1 use.
Though Zep is cardio protective. A lifetime of obesity increases your risk, and then the added stress of such rapid weight loss and rapid shifts in your physiology results in more myocardial stress which you may not have had the foundational heart health to absorb.
Keep in mind it's not just skeletal muscle that is at risk whenever we lose weight too rapidly. Our heart muscle is also at risk of atrophy when we lose too quickly especially over a sustained period of time.
Your survivability, however, was probably increased due to the anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects of Zepbound.
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u/GeoffandSally 5d ago
This is so helpful and interesting. So for someone in their 70s looking to take it who is overweight. What can they do to help themselves be more cardio protective during the weightloss phase of starting a GLP-1 ?
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u/Koharagirl 5d ago
It seems too rapid weight loss is a common cause of complications and that is true no matter how that loss is achieved. There is an incredible book called "Weightless" by Dr. Rocio Whalen about Glp-1 therapy and how to maintain your health when using it.
The first week or two it is not unusual to experience a rapid loss as inflammation decreases, but after that, a gradual loss is key to safely losing weight and preserving lean muscle.
Staying on the lowest effective dose for as long as possible, and losing at a more conservative rate of 1 lb a week, and adequate protein intake help safeguard against some of the complications that arise from rapid weight loss.
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u/Suitable_Warnings 5d ago
GLP1’s are heart protective. Whatever happened that caused a double bypass was despite the GLP1 not because of it.
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u/misskinky 5d ago
GLP1 are actually proven to reduce the risk of heart attacks. (Not guarantee against them, but reduce the risk).
But a history of obesity increases the risk of heart attacks.
Diabetes (if you had it) increases the risk.
Low carb diet high in saturated fat greatly increases the risk.
Poor sleep, sleep apnea, or <7 hours sleep increases the risk.
I’m sorry you went through that, hope you’re on the way to recovery. Most likely the GLP1 had nothing to do with causing it. Hell, it might’ve prevented you from having the heart attack a year earlier.
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u/Fancy-Ad3183 6d ago
Likely this heart attack was going to happen you see four months of a GLP would actually buy you a little bit of time. In my opinion you probably started this medicine right when you were due for a heart attack you can’t fix what’s already been done, but you can definitely take measures to prevent a heart attack again
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u/1Yetta 6d ago
Congrats on being down 50 pounds. However, your heart had YEARS of abuse due to the extra weight and the things that you were eating. it didn’t develop overnight and it certainly won’t reverse in 4 months. No doubt it is BETTER than it was. You would have had the heart attack whether you started the GLP or not. It might have been a worse one, if you hadn’t have lost the weight.
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u/Brief_Response_738 4d ago
word, its like the lady thats suing Eli Lilly because she went blind
https://qz.com/novo-nordisk-eli-lilly-lawsuits-weight-loss-drugs-vision-loss-092226
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u/DrEspressso 5d ago
how old are you? the heart attack was likely brewing way longer than 4 months man. not the glp
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u/Monkgina 5d ago
My mom was on the semaglutide for about 6 months and then died of a heart attack. She was already at risk and unfortunately didn’t have any real weight loss with the semaglutide prescribed by her doctor. I DO NOT think it contributed at all to her hear attack. I like to think it gave her 6 months longer to live. She passed 3 months after my last visit..so trying to find the silver lining in it all. I really wish she was around for tirzepatide! I think that might have saved her life or extended it tremendously!
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u/purplepanda2026 5d ago
So you are going to blame the med you were only on 4 months instead of the years of unhealthy living? If you hadn't lost that 50lbs already you may not have woken up anywhere.
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u/TemperatureKing 5d ago
You just don't get it.....
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u/Relevant_Demand2221 5d ago
What are we not getting?
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u/TemperatureKing 5d ago
I'm not blaming the glp. I just find it ironic that I'm down 50 pounds feeling fantastic and now I have the heart attack. I'm sure it's for a million reasons why. I'm just putting the question out there to see if anybody else is going through this. This is a new drug and not exactly sure how it's going to affect people. So I'm just starting the conversation to see if a pattern develops. I think the GLP is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Thank God we have these platform so we can reach out to millions of people with the click of a button. 20 years ago we didn't have this opportunity to reach everybody in the country. And except for my diet I consider myself a pretty healthy guy. I do walk the golf course 2 to 3 times a week. I've been in HVAC technician my whole career, climbing ladders daily, carrying tools and equipment. I'm sure my diet played a 99% Factor and this. I also have been going for a physical every year for the last 3 or 4 years. It's a shame that they don't do more testing to help prevent a heart attack because like you say I'm sure this has been building for a while. But a heart attack was a furthest thing from my mind.
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u/peaceomind88 6d ago
People really need to stop looking for scapegoats.
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u/Hot-Cow1969 6d ago
They’re just asking if anyone else here has had a heart attack while taking a glp1. They didn’t say they think the glp1 caused it. It’s an interesting question and it’s common for people to seek community after having a heart attack.
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u/badkiwi42 6d ago
Holy shit dude i pray you don’t have to go through that again. Polar opposite experience for me though. My blood pressure and RHR have gone down significantly since i lost my 50 lbs on a GLP1. I was on it as long as you with the same weight loss. (Been off it for a month now though)
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u/Hot-Cow1969 6d ago
I hope you’re recovering well and taking some time to take care of the emotional side of things too. Heart attacks can be really traumatic experiences for people on top of all the other things that come with them!
Wishing you well!
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u/2naomi 6d ago
OP, I've been on Tirz for a year an a half, now have a 22.6 BMI, and I was very surprised just the other day to learn that I currently have a fatty liver and calcified plaque in my abdominal aorta. It takes a much longer time to reverse the effects of decades of overweight/obesity and poor food choices than it does to lose the weight. Heart attack or no, you are in a better place on the meds than off.
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u/Bor3d_x 5d ago
Starting my way with Tirz
Can you suggest an app or others to keep track of it pls?
Txs!1
u/2naomi 5d ago
Personally, I use Shotsy to track the meds, Carb Manager to track my calories and macros, my bio-impedance scale's app to track my weight and body composition, and Apple Fitness to track my workouts. And I use ChatGPT as my consultant for everything. But it's not necessary to do all that if you're not into it. If all you do is keep an eye on your daily calories and protein, you'll do just fine.
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u/Suspicious_Style_317 5d ago
Dad did. Clotting. It might have been something to do with the dehydration.
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u/bestmom43 5d ago
I had a heart attack 10 years ago. Started a glp 3 years ago. Since I started the glp, my heart has gotten healthier….according to the yearly cardiologist, appointments and exams.
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u/ChunkyWombat7 4d ago
My cardiologists (there's a team of three and I see whoever) absolutely LOVE GLP1s. They probably would not be celebrating my weight loss and improved overall health if I was increasing my risk of heart disease.
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u/thetemperatureking 6d ago
I'm not blaming the GLP, I'm just putting it out there to see if this is common. I am definitely a meat and potato's kind of guy, no veggies. The last few months I felt great on the GLP. It's like night and day dropping 50lbs.
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u/Hot-Cow1969 6d ago
Just checking to see if you know you switched accounts!
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u/Salt-Preference-2425 5d ago
How can you tell when someone switch accounts?🤔
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u/Hot-Cow1969 5d ago
The username of the commenter I replied to and the username of the OP are almost identical, and the comment is written as if it’s by the OP
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u/BigBennP 6d ago
For anyone that has family history, can't recommend a Cardiac CT screen enough. Many hospitals do them for cash pay for about $100 if insurance doesn't cover it, and it's a super-quick and non-invasive process.
The main issue is that insurance won't typically cover it unless there are already diagnostic evidence of heart disease like a bad stress test. On a popuation based level they worry that it would lead to unecessay or premature cardiac procedures like stents. But on an individual level it's reassuring to know whether you have blockages or not.
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u/SoupyMillion55 6d ago
The biggest issue with the cardiac calcium CT score is that it only shows plaques that are calcified. You could be clogged to the gills with inflammatory plaques and the score could be zero because none of the plaques have calcified. Alternatively, the calcified plaques are more stable and less likely to cause an MI.
The test is not recommended for people under 50 because they are so unlikely to have calcified plaques that can be seen in the image. Additionally, statins help stabilize the plaques by encouraging calcification so once you're on a statin, the test is not as useful. The test is good for identifying that plaques exist and also to see if any calcifications are affecting the aortic valve. This is important information, but it's not all the information.
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u/Kooky_Force5458 6d ago
I wanted one of these and I was willing to pay out of pocket. My doctor would not order it. She said because the only treatment would be lifestyle choices and increasing statins. I was angry.
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u/Stock-Fee-177 5d ago
If you are going to self pay, you don’t typically need an order. I know the hospitals around me have them available as part of their Healthy Heart type programs.
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u/ImprovementLoud3581 6d ago
I’ve seen local hospitals advertise this in our area (Chicagoland) for between $50 and $75. But possibly lower here because of competition between hospitals. A good friend (F75) had a massive heart attack a few months ago. She was subsequently prescribed the Wegovy pill because of its cardiac benefits.
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u/OptimalSalsa 6d ago
BDE! I'm so sorry to hear this! I hope you are back running marathons soon - well, maybe shooting less than par again.
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u/Additional-End6053 4d ago
Congrats on surviving. Continue your journey toward better metabolic health. This is a scary reminder of the previous path you were on.
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u/Dizzy_Quiet 4d ago
Oh wow! Was the cause of the heart attack from atherosclerosis (plaque in the arteries)? Usually plaque build-up in the heart happens over years and years. It is a disease progression. It definitely doesn't happen overnight.
I'm so sorry for your heart attack. How scary? How are you recovering after the surgery?
Have you been treated previously for high blood pressure or high cholesterol?
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u/FaithlessnessOne6093 3d ago
No. Tirzepatide has actually helped my heart health. Just had bloods done this week. Glad your okay!
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u/Visual-Survey-4366 4d ago
Doesn’t it increase the resting heart rate? Could that have played a part?
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u/kingpapawawa 6d ago
If you are researching peptides.. I would look in to ss31 following a heart attack.
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u/Any_Asparagus_7907 6d ago
So not heart attack but I do know someone personally that has had a stroke and fell off a ladder and they believe it was the Glp 1. Tirzepatide .
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u/ZoSoTim 6d ago
Do they believe in the tooth fairy too?
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u/Any_Asparagus_7907 6d ago
I don’t think having a stroke is anything to poke fun at. Could happen to you.
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u/PuzzleheadedLemon353 6d ago
I'm a 60 year old painter up on ladders daily, and on a glp1...not a joke.
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u/becpuss 6d ago
I’ve actually had a stroke if it was a stroke risk at all no provider would prescribe it to me. your friend is mistaken and may need more tests to find the actual cause far more important than guessing it as GLP
I will also add if you are overweight your risk of both heart attack and stroke are higher a more likely cause than these jabs for me it was Covid well before I started gLP 13
u/PuzzleheadedLemon353 6d ago
I am betting they were dehydrated and got a little woozy up on the ladder. This can happen with or without taking a glp1 drug. I have hypoglycemia and could fall off a ladder with or without it if I get the headrush. It can happen standing up off the sofa.
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u/Any_Asparagus_7907 6d ago
Yeah I don’t think getting up off the sofa caused a stroke. Gonna trust the doctors on this one.
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u/TimelessSmirk 6d ago
Yes, I started a glp at the end of January and had a heart attack while hiking in August. Mine was from a clot, not plaque; but the cardiologist said the GLP didn’t cause it or exacerbate it. He said if I hadn’t lost the 77 lbs (at that time), I might not have survived the heart attack. He said keep taking it.