The Miracle Drugs With Unexpected Benefits
Recent studies have revealed that the diabetes and weight-loss medications Ozempic and Wegovy, both of which are forms of semaglutide, offer additional health benefits beyond their primary uses. These medications have been linked to reduced risks of heart failure and its complications, as well as decreased mortality from COVID-19 and overall death rates.
Semaglutide, a GLP-1 agonist, mimics a natural hormone that regulates appetite and food intake. Recent findings presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) meeting in London and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology highlight the drug’s potential to revolutionize cardiovascular care. Dr. Harlan Krumholz, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and a Yale University professor, emphasized that these medications could significantly improve cardiovascular health.
A major trial, SELECT, which included over 17,000 participants with heart disease but no diabetes, demonstrated that a 2.4 mg dose of semaglutide reduced the likelihood of heart-related deaths, heart attacks, and strokes. New analyses from this trial show that semaglutide users had lower overall mortality rates compared to those receiving a placebo. Additionally, the drug seemed to provide greater heart health benefits to women, though both genders benefited from reduced heart-related events.
Semaglutide also appears to offer protection against severe COVID-19 outcomes. While rates of infection were similar between semaglutide and placebo users, those on semaglutide had a lower risk of death if they contracted the virus.
Another study from the FLOW trial, which involved over 3,500 individuals with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, found that semaglutide was associated with fewer kidney-related deaths and a reduced risk of developing heart failure. Furthermore, the STEP-HFpEF program showed that semaglutide improved symptoms of heart failure, physical limitations, and exercise capacity among obese patients with this condition. It also reduced inflammation, as indicated by lower levels of C-reactive protein, and improved heart structure and function, as seen in echocardiograms.
These studies collectively underscore the extensive benefits of GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide, highlighting their potential to impact various aspects of cardiovascular and overall health.
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