Research

Hormonal

Switching patients from DPP-4 inhibitors to GLP-1 receptor agonists improves glycemic control and weight loss, although it may transiently increase gastrointestinal adverse events.

If you are taking a DPP-4 inhibitor (like sitagliptin) and your blood sugar or weight goals aren't being met, switching to a GLP-1 receptor agonist (like exenatide or liraglutide) is a recommended next step. This switch typically leads to better blood sugar control and more weight loss. You may experience some temporary stomach issues, but these often subside.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
A few studies have evaluated switching patients from DPP-4 inhibitors to a GLP-1RA and, as expected, improved glycemic control and weight loss are seen following the switch.
Matthew P. Gilbert et al. · Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2020

Why this rating

Based on specific switch trials (Wysham, Pratley, Bailey) cited in the review.

Source

GLP-1 Analogs and DPP-4 Inhibitors in Type 2 Diabetes Therapy: Review of Head-to-Head Clinical Trials

Matthew P. Gilbert et al. · Frontiers in Endocrinology · 2020

DOI 10.3389/fendo.2020.00178

narrative_reviewCited 377×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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