Coronary artery calcium score changes on GLP-1 — my results so far

Dr.GastroMayo said:

Dizziness and cardiovascular risk: I was lightheaded for the first 2 weeks.

Filing a mild objection. Mild because I might be wrong; an objection because nobody has addressed the case that does not fit. The "earlier than weight loss explains" argument is weaker than this thread makes it sound. Blood pressure and inflammatory markers move fast and are downstream of early weight loss, so the mechanism is not as cleanly separable as the summaries imply.

carl_compliance said:

My reason for being on this is cardiovascular rather than cosmetic, which puts me in a small minority in most of these threads.

Metabolic syndrome resolution on cardiovascular risk: I went from meeting 5 of 5 diagnostic criteria to meeting ZERO after 13 months of treatment.

The 5 criteria (and my journey):

1. Waist circumference: 52" → 36" ✅ Resolved
2. Triglycerides: 230 → 115 ✅ Resolved
3. HDL: 36 → 52 ✅ Resolved
4. Blood pressure: 140/96 → 118/72 ✅ Resolved
5. Fasting glucose: 125 → 88 ✅ Resolved

Metabolic syndrome reversal is, in my view, the most medically significant outcome of GLP-1 therapy.

RetaRick_CA said:

The "earlier than weight loss explains" argument is weaker than this thread makes it sound.

RetaRick_CA said:

...cardiovascular risk is just another fad...

I understand the skepticism — we've all seen "miracle" weight loss solutions come and go. But consider what makes GLP-1 agonists different:

• Phase 3 RCTs with thousands of participants (not 20-person pilot studies)
• Published in NEJM, JAMA, Lancet (not press releases)
• Replicated across multiple independent research groups
• Proven cardiovascular and renal benefits beyond weight loss
• Biological mechanism fully characterized at the receptor level

This isn't a fad — it's a new drug class supported by the highest level of clinical evidence. The comparison to past fads is understandable but inappropriate.

Following on from zoe_NC — and this may be the naive question:

What did you change at the same time, and can you separate the two now?

NurseAsh_DET said:

RetaRick_CA said: ...cardiovascular risk is just another fad...

Positive "side effect" of cardiovascular risk: my blood pressure dropped so much that I'm now off lisinopril entirely! My cardiologist is thrilled.

If you're on BP meds and losing weight on a GLP-1, monitor your BP at home regularly. Hypotension symptoms (dizziness, lightheadedness when standing) mean your BP meds may need reduction. Don't wait for your next scheduled appointment — call your doctor.