Credit score: Unsplash/CC0 Public Area
Anti-obesity remedy semaglutide might assist to stop coronary heart assaults and different main cardiac occasions no matter how a lot weight folks lose whereas taking the drug, in accordance with a brand new examine led by a UCL researcher.
The discovering, the researchers say, suggests there are a number of methods the drug advantages the center, relatively than its protecting impact on cardiovascular well being being due solely to weight reduction.
The examine, printed within the Lancet journal, checked out information from 17,604 folks aged 45 and over who have been chubby and had heart problems, who have been randomly assigned both weekly injections of semaglutide or placebo.
Earlier evaluation of this information by the identical worldwide staff discovered that semaglutide lowered coronary heart assaults, strokes and different main cardiac occasions by 20% on this group.
Within the new examine, the staff discovered that this discount in main hostile occasions was comparable no matter members’ weight in the beginning of the trial. That’s, folks solely marginally classed as chubby, with a physique mass index (BMI) of 27 (the typical BMI for adults within the UK), noticed comparable advantages as these with weight problems who had the very best BMIs.
The advantages have been additionally largely unbiased of how a lot weight folks misplaced within the first 4 and a half months of taking the drug. Nevertheless, the researchers discovered a hyperlink between shrinking waistlines (the discount in waist circumference) and coronary heart advantages, with this accounting for a 3rd of the drug’s protecting impact on the center after two years.
Lead creator Professor John Deanfield (UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science) stated, “Belly fats is extra harmful for our cardiovascular well being than total weight and, due to this fact, it isn’t stunning to see a hyperlink between discount in waist dimension and cardiovascular profit. Nevertheless, this nonetheless leaves two thirds of the center advantages of semaglutide unexplained.
“These findings reframe what we predict this remedy is doing. It’s labeled as a weight reduction jab however its advantages for the center will not be instantly associated to the quantity of weight misplaced. The truth is, it’s a drug that instantly impacts coronary heart illness and different illnesses of getting older.
“This work has implications for a way semaglutide is utilized in scientific observe. You do not have to lose a number of weight and you do not want a excessive BMI to achieve cardiovascular profit. In case your goal is to cut back heart problems, proscribing its use to a restricted time solely and for these with the very best BMIs would not make sense.
“At the same time, the benefits need to be weighed against potential side effects. Investigations of side effects have become especially important, given the broad range of people this medicine and others like it could help.”
Whereas the findings deal with semaglutide, they’re prone to apply to different ‘weight reduction’ medicine that focus on the identical hormone (glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1).
The mechanisms by which GLP-1s might assist cardiovascular well being, the researchers stated, embrace supporting the well being of the liner of blood vessels, lowered irritation, improved blood stress management and decrease lipid ranges (ranges of ldl cholesterol and different fat within the bloodstream).
The examine checked out information from the landmark SELECT trial—the biggest and longest scientific trial of the consequences of semaglutide on weight in over 17,000 adults who didn’t have diabetes however who have been chubby or had weight problems. The worldwide staff that runs the trial contains Professor Deanfield.
Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, simulates the features of the physique’s pure incretin hormones, which assist to decrease blood sugar ranges after a meal. It was initially prescribed for adults with sort 2 diabetes.
Semaglutide is the lively ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic. Final yr, due to proof from the SELECT trial, the UK medicines regulator accepted Wegovy as a therapy for these with heart problems, that means it may be prescribed privately.
On the NHS, Wegovy is prescribed for weight reduction at specialist weight administration clinics. One other GLP-1 agonist, Mounjaro, is prescribed by GPs in England for these with a BMI of 40 or over (or 37.5 if from a minority ethnic background) and 4 out of 5 circumstances (sort 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart and vascular illness, excessive ldl cholesterol and obstructive sleep apnea).
Of their part on limitations, the authors of the brand new examine famous {that a} majority of examine members have been male and a excessive proportion have been white. In future, they stated, GLP-1 receptor agonist trials ought to look at responses by ethnicity and intercourse.
The preliminary evaluation of SELECT information which shaped the premise of this examine was offered by Professor Deanfield and co-authors on the European Congress on Weight problems (ECO) final yr.
Extra data:
Semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes by baseline and modifications in adiposity measurements: a prespecified evaluation of the SELECT trial, The Lancet (2025). DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01375-3. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan … (25)01375-3/fulltext
Supplied by
College Faculty London
Quotation:
Semaglutide helps coronary heart no matter how a lot weight misplaced, examine reveals (2025, October 22)
retrieved 22 October 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-10-semaglutide-heart-weight-lost-reveals.html
This doc is topic to copyright. Other than any truthful dealing for the aim of personal examine or analysis, no
half could also be reproduced with out the written permission. The content material is supplied for data functions solely.
