Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin hormone whose glucose-dependent insulinotropic actions have been regulated as a novel therapy for glycemic control in diabetes. Emerging evidence indicates that GLP-1 exerts direct effects on specific aspects of cardiovascular disease, such as endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, blood pressure and lipid metabolism. This review will focus on the effects of incretin therapies, including GLP-1 analogs and dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors, on the atherosclerosis disease, and will discuss the potential mechanisms underlying these effects.