Increasing Ozempic Dose Linked to Lower Heart Risk Than Switching to Mounjaro, Study Finds
A large observational study presented at the 2026 European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting found that adults with type 2 diabetes who increased their Ozempic dose from 1 mg to 2 mg had a 6 percent lower relative risk of major heart events compared to those who switched to Mounjaro. The study analyzed insurance claims data from more than 636,000 adults. Experts caution the findings are observational and cannot prove causation.
Adults with type 2 diabetes who increased their Ozempic dose from 1 mg to 2 mg had a 6 percent lower relative risk of major adverse cardiovascular events compared to those who switched to Mounjaro, according to a large observational study presented at the 2026 European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting.
The COMPETE SWITCH CV analysis used U.S. insurance claims data and linked laboratory results to evaluate outcomes in 636,525 adults with type 2 diabetes who were already taking 1 mg of semaglutide weekly. Researchers compared 185,705 patients who escalated their dose to 2 mg against 23,104 patients who switched to tirzepatide at doses up to 15 mg.
The dose-escalation group showed an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.06, meaning those who switched to Mounjaro had a 6 percent higher relative risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, defined as all-cause death, heart attack, and stroke.
The study was announced by Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic. Experts outside the company noted several limitations. The study is observational and cannot establish a causal link. The researchers did not report absolute event rates, making it difficult to quantify the clinical impact of the difference. Unmeasured factors, such as why a physician chose to switch a patient rather than escalate the dose, could influence the results.
Medical experts advise that treatment decisions should not be based on this single analysis. Both Ozempic and Mounjaro carry cardiovascular indications. The FDA approved Mounjaro to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke in adults with type 2 diabetes in August 2026. A 2025 study in Nature Medicine found broadly similar cardiovascular outcomes between the two drugs in real-world practice.
