Wegovy slashes risk of heart attack and stroke, drugmaker claimsBy Brooke Kato
August 8, 2023
Wegovy could be good for more than just weight loss — the once-weekly semaglutide shot has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The popular obesity medication successfully decreased the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 20% while observed over a five-year period, the drug’s manufacturer Novo Nordisk announced on Tuesday.
Comparing a 2.4-milligram dose of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, to a placebo, the landmark SELECT trial researchers observed 17,604 adults over the age of 45 who were overweight or obese and had heart disease but no history of diabetes.
“People living with obesity have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease but to date, there are no approved weight management medications proven to deliver effective weight management while also reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death,” Martin Holst Lange, the executive vice president of development at Novo Nordisk, said in a statement.
“Therefore, we are very excited about the results from SELECT showing that semaglutide 2.4 milligram reduces the risk of cardiovascular events.”
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Source:
https://nypost.com/2023/08/08/wegovy-slashes-risk-of-heart-attack-and-stroke-drug-maker-claims/
