Weight-Loss Drug Shows Heart Benefits Autonomous of Weight Loss, Major Study Reveals
New research published in The Lancet suggests the weight-loss drug semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, offers significant cardiovascular benefits even without considerable weight loss, prompting calls to reconsider current prescribing guidelines. The study, led by University Collage London (UCL), indicates the drug may directly impact heart health, rather than solely working through weight reduction.
Researchers examined data from a global trial involving 17,604 participants aged 45 and over who were either overweight or obese, across 41 countries.Participants were randomly assigned to receive weekly injections of semaglutide or a placebo. Previous analysis of the data already showed a 20% reduction in the risk of major adverse cardiac events – including heart disease deaths, heart attacks, and strokes - among those taking semaglutide.
This latest analysis reveals these benefits were consistent regardless of the amount of weight participants lost. Even individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 – the average BMI for UK adults – experienced similar cardiovascular improvements to those with higher BMIs. The benefits were also largely independent of weight loss achieved within the first four months of treatment.
While overall weight loss wasn’t the sole driver of benefit, the study did find a correlation between waist circumference reduction and improved heart health. Researchers estimate that 33% of the observed reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events was linked to decreases in waist size.
“Abdominal fat is more risky for our cardiovascular health than overall weight and therefore it is not surprising to see a link between reduction in waist size and cardiovascular benefit,” explained lead author Professor John Deanfield, of UCL’s Institute of cardiovascular Science. However, he emphasized that this only accounts for a portion of the drug’s positive effects. “This still leaves two-thirds of the heart benefits of semaglutide unexplained.These findings reframe what we think this medication is doing.”
Professor Deanfield further stated, “It is labelled as a weight-loss jab but its benefits for the heart are not directly related to the amount of weight lost – in fact, it is a drug that directly affects heart disease and other diseases of ageing.”
The findings have significant implications for clinical practice. Professor Deanfield argues that restricting semaglutide’s use to only those with high BMIs or for limited durations “doesn’t make sense” if the primary goal is cardiovascular disease reduction. He cautioned, however, that potential side effects must be carefully considered, particularly given the broader population that could possibly benefit from the drug.
