In a significant medical development, a large-scale study has indicated that the drug semaglutide, commonly found in Ozempic and Wegovy, substantially reduces the risk of heart disease in overweight or obese individuals, irrespective of weight loss. The research was shared by Professor John Deanfield at the European Congress on Obesity in Venice.
The SELECT trial, involving 17,604 adult participants from 41 countries, demonstrated that a weekly injection of semaglutide resulted in a 20 percent reduction in heart attacks, strokes, or heart disease-related deaths. Notably, the benefits were observed regardless of whether patients lost weight, suggesting the drug targets underlying biological factors like inflammation.
Semaglutide, initially approved for type 2 diabetes treatment under the brand Ozempic and later as the weight loss medication Wegovy, is poised to shift clinical practice in treating heart conditions. It could be prescribed alongside traditional treatments such as statins and blood pressure medications.
The study findings, deeming semaglutide a potential "game-changer" similar in impact to the introduction of statins in the 1990s, could influence future prescriptions and healthcare approaches in the UK. The effective management of heart disease, a leading cause of death in the UK, could see significant evolution in the near future as the benefits of GLP-1 agonist drugs like semaglutide are further recognized and utilized.