In a large clinical trial, the weight loss drug Wegovy was recently shown to reduce the overall risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths by 20% in the study population.
The double-blind placebo-controlled trial included over 17,000 adults over the age of 45 years who were overweight or had obesity. All participants had been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, but none had a prior history of diabetes. Participants were given Wegovy or a placebo once weekly for up to five years. During that time, the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events was monitored.
The results showed that participants taking Wegovy had a significantly reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events compared to those taking placebo. Taking Wegovy reduced the risk of these events by 20%. Major adverse cardiovascular events are defined as strokes, heart attacks, and cardiovascular deaths. The press release noted that those with obesity tend to have an increased risk of heart disease, but to date there are no approved drugs that have shown benefits in both reducing weight and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Weight loss drugs are often slow to be covered by insurers due to the perception these drugs are mostly cosmetic along with the misperception that obesity is a personal choice rather than a disease. However, the significant heart benefits demonstrated in this trial will likely lead more insurers to cover drugs like Wegovy. The reduction in heart risks could both reduce suffering and restore productivity loss caused by heart problems. Wegovy is currently only approved for chronic weight management, but the results of this study could lead to further approvals to treat or prevent heart disease.
Sources: Novo Nordisk, NYT
