A weight loss injection has been hailed as a major medical breakthrough that might revolutionize cardiovascular health. The medication, called semaglutide, has been found to reduce the risk of heart attacks and provide cardiovascular benefits for adults. Researchers believe that this might be the biggest medical breakthrough since statins.
A recent study presented at the European Congress of Obesity (ECO) revealed that participants taking semaglutide had a 20% lower risk of heart attack, stroke, or death due to cardiovascular disease. The study involved over 17,000 adults aged 45 and over who had previously experienced a cardiovascular event. It was found that regardless of their starting weight or the amount of weight they had lost, semaglutide still brought regarding cardiovascular benefits.
The director of the National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research, Prof John Deanfield, stated that the findings of the study highlight the need for routine prescription of semaglutide for treating cardiovascular illnesses. He believes that in the next few years, millions of people across the UK might potentially be taking this medication.
Deanfield also mentioned that semaglutide might have additional mechanisms beyond weight loss that benefit the cardiovascular system, making it a gamechanger in the field. He compared the potential impact of semaglutide to the revolutionary introduction of statins in the 1990s, which transformed cardiology practice.
Another weight loss drug, Wegovy, which contains semaglutide, has already been prescribed for weight loss in the UK since 2023. The effectiveness of semaglutide was further highlighted by a separate study that found participants lost an average of 10.2% of their body weight and 7.7cm from their waist in a four-year period. These results outperformed those of other weight loss medications that primarily work by suppressing appetite.
The potential economic benefits of prescribing semaglutide widely were also emphasized by Prof Jason Halford, president of the European Association for the Study of Obesity. He highlighted that improving cardiovascular health through medication might lead to significant cost savings for the healthcare system and boost productivity in society.
With approximately 7.6 million individuals in the UK currently living with heart or circulatory disease, the impact of semaglutide might be profound. Researchers are hopeful that this breakthrough might
