Pharmacist-led management of GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Am J Health Syst Pharm · 2026
Last updated 2026-05-28In a study of 128 adults with type 2 diabetes, those managed by a pharmacist saw a 19.9% average reduction in blood sugar control (HbA1c) over 6 months, compared to a 10.2% reduction in those receiving usual care from a physician. The pharmacist-led group also had more frequent dose adjustments and greater reductions in insulin use.
AI summary of the abstract below.
| Journal | Am J Health Syst Pharm, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Citations | 0 |
| Molecules | — |
| Conditions studied | Type 2 Diabetes |
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led management of GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), as compared to usual care by a physician.
METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted at an outpatient clinic. Adult patients with T2DM who received an initial prescription for dulaglutide, liraglutide, oral or injectable semaglutide, or tirzepatide during the study period of January 1, 2019, to March 31, 2024, were included. Patients were stratified into 2 groups based on the care they received: management by a clinical pharmacist (pharmacist-managed care) or by a resident physician (usual care). Data was collected from the initiation of the GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA) or GIP/GLP-1 RA to 6 months after initial or treatment discontinuation. The primary outcome was the net change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from baseline to the end of the study period.
RESULTS: This study included 128 patients: 24 pharmacist-managed and 104 usual care patients. The pharmacist-managed group had a mean 19.9% (SD, 13%) reduction in HbA1c from baseline, compared to a 10.2% (SD, 20.9%) reduction in the usual care group (P = 0.03). The pharmacist-managed group also saw greater improvements in de-escalation of insulin and average number of GLP-1 RA and GIP/GLP-1 RA dose titrations.
CONCLUSION: Pharmacist-led management of GLP-1 RA or GIP/GLP-1 RA therapy resulted in a greater improvement in HbA1c when compared to usual care.
Verbatim abstract via PubMed 41870187 ↗