Weight-loss drug Wegovy (semaglutide) and its diabetes-focused cousin, Ozempic, have already upended the treatment of both obesity and diabetes, with sales of both drugs skyrocketing.
Now, injected Wegovy could prove a boon for many patients battling heart failure, a new study suggests. The trial results [study funded by Novo Nordisk] were presented Friday in Amsterdam at the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
Treatment with the drug "produced large improvements in symptoms, physical limitations and exercise function" compare to placebo, explained study lead author Dr. Mikhail Kosiborod, of Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City.
People taking Wegovy also showed marked improvements in completing what's known as the Six-Minute Walk Test, compared to those on placebo, the researchers noted.
In addition, "serious adverse events"—such as ER visits or hospitalizations—were also markedly less frequent among the Wegovy group than those on placebo, the team noted.
Pinto, a professor of cardiology at Amsterdam University Medical Centers in the Netherlands, noted that the trial was "relatively small," however. He said much better data is needed before reaching a clear understanding of exactly how Wegovy is helping the heart.
Still, Pinto called the new findings "encouraging," adding that they "potentially add a much-needed extra option for these patients."
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