What the duration means
The LEADER trial randomized 9,340 adults with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk to liraglutide or placebo alongside standard care. Median follow-up was 3.8 years. A median describes the middle of the observation times; it does not mean every participant was observed for exactly that duration.
Read the outcome alongside the clock
The combined first occurrence of cardiovascular death, nonfatal heart attack or nonfatal stroke affected 13.0% versus 14.9%. Gastrointestinal events were the most common reason for stopping liraglutide because of adverse events. Novo Nordisk and the NIH funded the trial.
What it cannot prescribe
S7’s interpretation is that a long observation period answers a research question within a defined population. This trial did not test generic stop-and-restart cycles, establish lifetime safety, or evaluate research-vial products. The complete indexed abstract supports this discussion. It provides no personal treatment duration or cycling instructions. The accompanying timeline artwork is symbolic.