June 26 (Reuters) - An analysis of health records showed that long-term use of GLP-1 drugs by diabetic patients is associated with an increased risk of developing smell and taste disorders.

Researchers reviewed electronic health records collected between 2017 and 2026 from nearly 900,000 patients with type 2 diabetes, half of whom were using GLP-1 drugs. None of them had any smell or taste disturbances at the beginning.

However, a report on the study published in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery indicated that during the following two years, users of these drugs were 81 percent more likely to develop olfactory disorders and 52 percent more likely to develop taste disorders, compared to diabetic patients using other medications.

Jonathan Sonntag and Nir Sonntag of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who co-authored the study, said the findings highlight "the importance of closer monitoring and increased public health awareness," as well as future research "to discover the mechanisms underlying this relationship."

The actual rates of olfactory and gustatory disorders were very low, at 0.37 percent in the group using GLP-1 drugs and 0.22 percent in the control group not using them.

However, an editorial published with the study stated that the senses of smell and taste represent "two subtle but important indicators of public health," with impaired sense of smell being one of the most reliable warning signs of neurodegenerative diseases.

But she added, "For patients with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or uncontrolled morbid obesity, the risk of side effects, such as sensory disturbances, may be acceptable."