Weight loss injections can lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, even if the individual does not lose weight, according to a new study.
For the study, researchers looked at semaglutide – a weight loss drug that’s sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy – and discovered that weekly injections into the skin can benefit an individual’s cardiovascular health.
Professor John Deanfield, who led the study, said the drug may have a positive impact on blood pressure, blood sugar, or inflammation, in addition to having direct effects on the heart vessels and muscles.
Data from the trial which is funded by the drug manufacturer Nova Nordisk, also suggests that it may have health benefits despite an individual’s starting weight and whether or not they lose weight.
A Huge Breakthrough
Professor Deanfield presented the study at the European Congress on Obesity and said the results had ‘important clinical implications’.
He compared it to when statins, highly effective cholesterol-lowering drugs, were first introduced in the early 90s.
He claimed these weight loss drugs may have a profound effect on how chronic diseases affect ageing.
While Ozempic and Wegovy are both indicated for weight loss, however, experts have continuously warned individuals that it’s not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle and should only be used under medical supervision.
Not only are there side effects such as bloating, gas, upset stomach, or nausea, but individuals may also gain the weight back once they stop the drug.
Because of this, they must be prescribed by a licensed doctor to obese or overweight patients only. The drug, which mimics GLP-1, the hormone that makes individuals feel less hungry and more full, must then be injected into the skin once a week.
Reducing the Risk of Cardiac Events
The study looked at the amount of time before patients experienced major cardiac events such as a stroke or heart attack.
After five months of taking the weight loss drug, more than 60 percent of patients lost over 5 percent of their bodyweight compared to the placebo group, who only lost 10 percent.
Interestingly, however, the risk reduction of stroke, heart attacks, or heart failure was comparable between those who lost less than 5 percent of their body weight and those that lost more than 5 percent.
Professor Deanfield said the drug may prove to be critical for those who are struggling with obesity and have other underlying medical problems.
Cardiovascular specialist Professor Rameen Shakur from the University of Brighton, however, says that more studies are necessary as they currently do not know the exact mechanism in which the drug reduces cardiac events.
He also noted that there is a small risk of pancreatitis and thyroid cancers with the medication so the importance of proper monitoring cannot be overstated.
