Global healthcare company Novo Nordisk announced on Saturday that the cardiovascular benefits of its widely used obesity treatment, Wegovy (chemically known as semaglutide), are not solely due to its weight loss effects. The study, presented at the American Heart Association annual scientific meeting in Philadelphia and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed additional positive cardiovascular effects of Wegovy that emerged before patients began losing weight, suggesting that the heart benefits are not solely associated with weight loss.
Dr. Chad Weldy, a cardiologist at Stanford University, emphasized that the trial focused on how semaglutide might prevent the worsening of heart disease rather than preventing it. With a comprehensive 17,604-patient trial, the study prompts doctors to consider who might benefit from Wegovy prescription. Individuals who have had a heart attack or obstructive coronary disease with a body mass index of over 27 fall within the study’s criteria, representing a significant patient population.
Dr. Bruno Halpern, head of the obesity center at Hospital 9 de Julho in Sao Paulo, Brazil, argued during the medical conference that Wegovy should now be considered a frontline treatment for heart disease. The trial conducted in August by the Danish pharmaceutical company indicated that Wegovy not only facilitated an average weight loss of 15 percent but also demonstrated a 20 percent reduction in the incidence of heart attack, stroke, or death from heart disease.
Examining overweight and obese patients with preexisting heart disease but without diabetes, the study revealed that Wegovy led to a 28 percent reduction in non-fatal heart attacks, a 7 percent decrease in non-fatal strokes, and a 15 percent drop in heart-related deaths compared to the placebo. However, there are several associated risk factors, including inflammation, blood sugar control, and blood pressure.
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