Semaglutide May Help Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes in Overweight People with Heart Failure

Research suggests that a weight loss drug, semaglutide, which has been shown to reduce major adverse cardiac events such as heart attacks and strokes in obese or overweight people with cardiovascular disease, may also benefit those with heart failure. A new study found that within the group of people with cardiovascular disease who are obese or overweight, those with heart failure did just as well as those without heart failure in terms of outcomes measured. The study looked at data from 4,286 people who were followed up over an average of more than three years and found that semaglutide was linked to a 28% reduction in major adverse cardiac events and a 24% reduction in heart disease-related deaths for those with pre-existing heart failure.

Key Takeaways:

• The weight loss drug semaglutide was found to reduce major adverse cardiac events such as heart attacks and strokes in obese or overweight people with cardiovascular disease by 20% in a previous study.
• The new study found that within the group of people with cardiovascular disease who are obese or overweight, those with heart failure did just as well as those without heart failure in terms of outcomes measured.
• The study looked at data from 4,286 people who were followed up over an average of more than three years.
• Semaglutide was linked to a 28% reduction in major adverse cardiac events in the group of people studied.
• Semaglutide was also linked to a 24% reduction in heart disease-related deaths for the subgroup of people with pre-existing heart failure.
• The reduction in all-causes deaths in all heart failure groups suggests the potential for other, as yet unknown, benefits.
• The study was funded by Novo Nordisk, the only company in the USA with FDA-approved products containing semaglutide.

Statistics:

• 41.7% of participants in the study had reduced ejection fraction type of heart failure.
• 58.3% of participants had heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
• 20% drop in major adverse cardiac events for obese or overweight people with cardiovascular disease was observed in previous research.
• 28% reduction in major adverse cardiac events was observed in the group of people studied.
• 9.1% of participants in the semaglutide group experienced major adverse cardiac events compared to 12.3% in the dummy drug group.
• 24% reduction in heart disease-related deaths for the subgroup of people with pre-existing heart failure was observed.
• 19% reduction in deaths from any cause was observed in the study.

Sources:

• The Lancet
• Select Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes trial
• Novo Nordisk