Semaglutide Reduces Heart Risk

Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy was found to significantly reduce the risk of major heart issues, according to a study released yesterday. Analysts suggest the results could help decrease the cost of the new class of semaglutide-based weight-loss drugs—including Ozempic—often labeled as nonmedical treatments by insurers.

The five-year study observed the effects of a weekly injection in over 17,000 obese patients over the age of 45 who have cardiovascular disease, reporting a 20% reduction in heart attacks, strokes, and cardiac arrests. The treatment consists of an appetite-suppressing gut hormone known as semaglutide, which has skyrocketed in popularity since being FDA-approved in 2021. Recent studies repeatedly have shown the drug's efficacy, with recipients seeing a 15% weight reduction.

Roughly 40% of US adults are overweight or obese, a major risk factor for heart disease. An estimated one in four deaths results from heart disease each year in the US.