Key takeaways:
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is an injectable medication that’s FDA approved to treat Type 2 diabetes. But there’s evidence that Mounjaro is also good for your heart.
Mounjaro’s heart benefits include lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol.
Mounjaro may also help lower the risk of heart attacks and stroke. But it’s not FDA approved for this use.
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Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists are best known for their roles in Type 2 diabetes treatment and weight management.
But several of these medications have been found to support heart health. An example is Mounjaro (tirzepatide), an injectable medication that’s FDA approved to treat Type 2 diabetes.
But is Mounjaro good for your heart? Let’s take a look at the evidence for Mounjaro’s heart-health benefits.
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What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is a once-weekly injectable medication used to improve blood sugar control in people with Type 2 diabetes. It combines a GLP-1 agonist with a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).
When you eat, your gut releases GIP and GLP-1 hormones. Mounjaro mimics these hormones and binds to GIP and GLP-1 receptors in your gut and brain to do the following:
Increase insulin production
Decrease how much sugar your liver makes
Slow the movement of food through your stomach
These effects help lower blood sugar levels and support weight management.
Can Mounjaro support heart health?
Unlike Wegovy and Ozempic, Mounjaro isn’t currently FDA approved to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack or stroke.
But research suggests it may still support heart health in several important ways. Let’s take a closer look.
Ease heart failure symptoms
A study from 2024 looked at the effect of tirzepatide (the generic form of Mounjaro) in people with a specific type of heart failure called heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). These people were also considered overweight or obese.
Researchers found that people taking tirzepatide:
Were able to walk further
Experienced less shortness of breath and fatigue
Had lower levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), which means lower inflammation in your blood body
Had lower systolic blood pressure (the top number)
Were less likely to die or experience a complication due to heart failure
Lower blood pressure
There’s evidence that Mounjaro may help lower blood pressure. This can help support heart health, since high blood pressure contributes to heart disease.
In one study, people taking Mounjaro for 36 weeks experienced a decrease in their systolic blood pressure by up to 10 mmHg. Their diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) was also lower at the end of 36 weeks, but by a smaller amount. Researchers believe these improvements were related to tirzepatide’s weight-loss effects.
Lower cholesterol
Mounjaro may also help reduce cholesterol levels. This supports heart health because high cholesterol leads to fatty deposits inside blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
A review of studies on tirzepatide’s impact on cholesterol found it decreased:
Total cholesterol
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol
It also increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the “good” cholesterol.
Improves blood sugar
Mounjaro may also support heart health by lowering blood sugar levels. Over time, high blood sugar can damage blood vessels, including the coronary arteries that deliver oxygen to the heart. It can also affect the nerves that help control heart function and contribute to changes in the heart’s structure. By improving blood sugar control, tirzepatide may help reduce some of this damage and better protect the heart over time.
Lower risk of heart attack and stroke
There’s some evidence that Mounjaro may also lower the risk of heart attacks and stroke in people living with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. A clinical trial compared people taking Mounjaro to those taking Trulicity (dulaglutide), a medication known to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke.
The study found that Mounjaro worked at least as well as Trulicity at reducing the risk of serious heart-related events.
Do other GLP-1 agonists support heart and cardiovascular health?
Yes, other GLP-1 agonists can also support heart and blood vessel health. Several GLP-1s are FDA approved to lower the risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), like heart attack and stroke:
Ozempic (semaglutide) is approved to lower the risk of MACE in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Injectable Wegovy (semaglutide) is approved to lower the risk of MACE in adults with obesity or overweight and heart disease.
Rybelsus (semaglutide) is approved to lower the risk of MACE in adults with Type 2 diabetes, even if they don’t already have heart disease.
Victoza (liraglutide) is approved to lower the risk of MACE in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Trulicity (dulaglutide) is approved to lower the risk of MACE in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease or those at risk for heart disease.
Frequently asked questions
Ozempic is FDA approved to lower the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes in people living with Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Mounjaro isn’t FDA approved for this use right now.
Mounjaro can’t reverse blocked arteries (atherosclerosis). It’s not FDA approved to treat coronary artery disease.
You shouldn’t take Mounjaro if you have a personal or family history of certain thyroid cancers, or if you’re allergic to Mounjaro or any of its ingredients. You shouldn’t take Mounajro if you’re pregnant or nursing. Your healthcare team may advise against taking Mounjaro if you have a history of pancreatitis or certain gastrointestinal (GI) conditions.
Ozempic is FDA approved to lower the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes in people living with Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Mounjaro isn’t FDA approved for this use right now.
Mounjaro can’t reverse blocked arteries (atherosclerosis). It’s not FDA approved to treat coronary artery disease.
You shouldn’t take Mounjaro if you have a personal or family history of certain thyroid cancers, or if you’re allergic to Mounjaro or any of its ingredients. You shouldn’t take Mounajro if you’re pregnant or nursing. Your healthcare team may advise against taking Mounjaro if you have a history of pancreatitis or certain gastrointestinal (GI) conditions.
The bottom line
Mounjaro is an injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist used to treat Type 2 diabetes. But there’s evidence that Mounjaro does more than lower blood sugar. It can also help improve heart health. Mounjaro’s heart benefits include lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol. Mounjaro can also reduce heart failure symptoms in people with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
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References
de Lemos, J. A., et al. (2024). Tirzepatide reduces 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in adults with body mass index ≥27 kg/m2: SURMOUNT-1 ambulatory blood pressure monitoring substudy. Hypertension.
Kanbay, M., et al. (2023). Effect of tirzepatide on blood pressure and lipids: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
Nicholls, S. J., et al. (2025). Cardiovascular outcomes with tirzepatide versus dulaglutide in type 2 diabetes. The New England Journal of Medicine.
Packer, M., et al. (2025). Tirzepatide for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Drug trials snapshots: Mounjaro.
