Liraglutide does not increase heart rate of diabetic patients during acute myocardial infarction

Background Glucagon‐like peptide 1 receptor agonists have been shown to reduce all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The probable increase in heart rate hinders its early usage in acute myocardial infarction patients. In our study, we aimed to find out whether the use of liraglutide in patients with acute myocardial infarction as early as at the time of hospitalization would increase the heart rate. Methods This was an observational retrospective study. From December 2020 to August 2021, 200 patients with acute myocardial infarction were included in our study and divided into three groups: T2DM + liraglutide group (n = 46), T2DM + non‐liraglutide group (n = 42), and non‐T2DM group (n = 112). The primary outcomes were the differences in heart rate. Secondary outcomes were differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Results There were no significant differences in heart rate among the three groups at admission, the day before the first shot of liraglutide, and before discharge. There was also no significant difference in heart rate between diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction and those on liraglutide during the hospital stay. And there were no differences of beta‐blocker dosages among the three groups. Liraglutide did not affect the blood pressure during acute myocardial infarction. Conclusions Liraglutide did not increase the heart rate in diabetic patients during acute myocardial infarction and did not lead to an increase in the dose of beta‐blockers in the patients. It also had no effect on blood pressure and showed better efficacy in lowering glucose levels without additional hypoglycemic events. Highlights Glucagon‐like peptide 1 receptor agonists have been shown to reduce all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Previous studies have found that liraglutide can increase the heart rate in patients, so the use of liraglutide should be controlled in patients with acute myocardial infarction. We found that liraglutide did not increase the heart rate of diabetic patients during acute myocardial infarction and it had no effect on blood pressure. Therefore, liraglutide is safe for use in the early stages of acute myocardial infarction.