Wegovy: A Breakthrough in Weight Loss Medication Also Linked to Reduced Heart Disease Risk
The manufacturer of the diabetes and weight loss drug semaglutide (marketed under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic) reported a 20% reduction in the risk of severe cardiovascular events, such as death, heart attack, and stroke.
The drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk performed a five-year study of Wegovy, also known as semaglutide.
The company gathered 17,604 individuals over the age of 45 from 41 countries for its Select trial.
Every individual possessed a body mass index (BMI) of at least 27 and had a history of cardiovascular disease but no diabetes.
The risk of heart attack or stroke was reduced by 20% in patients administered 2.4 mg of Wegovy every week in addition to standard care for avoiding the risk of heart attack or stroke, in contrast to those given a placebo.
Experts had previously suggested that obese individuals receiving weight loss injections should be prepared to continue receiving them for life.
In studies, the medication, which is injected weekly and reduces appetite, reduced patients’ weight by more than 10 percent as long as they continued to use it.
A version with a lower dosage, Ozempic, is already used to treat type 2 diabetes.
In a long-awaited demonstration, the latest finding provides additional evidence of its health benefits, demonstrating that in addition to aiding in weight loss, it also reduced the risk of obesity-related conditions.
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NICE Recommends Wegovy
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggested Wegovy earlier this year for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35 and one weight-related health condition, like diabetes or hypertension.
The regulator stated that it shouldn’t be taken for more than two years, yet studies have shown that discontinuing weight loss injections such as Wegovy can result in significant weight gain.
A group of obesity specialists argue that the NICE guidelines mainly depend on the cost of the drugs and that those who take them ought to anticipate using them long-term.
Source: THEINDEPENDENTviaMSN, VOX
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