HRS Congress 2026 — Dr Kenneth Bilchick (UVA Heart & Vascular Center, Charlottesville, VA, US) joins us to discuss findings from a study examining whether the protective effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists on atrial fibrillation risk operates independently of weight loss and survival.

Interview Questions: 

1. What is the current understanding of how GLP-1 receptor agonists may influence atrial fibrillation risk, and what prompted this investigation?
2. What were the primary aims and design of your study?
3. What were your key findings?
4. How do you interpret the observation that AF risk was reduced even in patients who gained weight while on a GLP-1 receptor agonist — what might this suggest about the underlying mechanism?
5. Were there notable differences in the anti-arrhythmic effect across individual GLP-1 agents, and how should clinicians interpret these?
6. What are the clinical implications of these findings for electrophysiologists and cardiologists managing patients with, or at risk of, AF?
7. What further research is needed to establish the role of GLP-1 receptor agonists in AF prevention and management?

Recorded on-site at HRS Congress 2026.
Editor: Jordan Rance
Videographer: David Ben-Harosh
Support: This is an independent interview produced by Radcliffe Cardiology.