A medicine called Wegovy from Novo Nordisk is showing great results for people with obesity and heart disease. The Select study, with about 17,500 participants, found that Wegovy reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart-related deaths by 20%. This is important because it could mean that the medicine not only helps with weight loss but also saves lives.
Important Findings from the Study
Wegovy has some exciting results. It cut the risk of non-fatal heart attacks by 28% during the five-year study. It also showed a 7% drop in non-fatal strokes, although there were not many strokes in the study. What’s interesting is that Wegovy started to help the heart quickly, even before people lost a lot of weight.
How Wegovy Affects Diabetes
Many people in the study were close to having diabetes, but Wegovy reduced the chances of getting diabetes by 73%. This suggests that the medicine could be used early to treat diabetes. Another medicine from Novo Nordisk, called Ozempic, already helps with diabetes.
Side Effects and Things to Consider
Some people in the study stopped taking Wegovy (about 17%) because of stomach problems, like vomiting and diarrhea. This happened more than in the group taking a pretend medicine. It’s important to note that the study mostly had male and white participants, so we need more studies with a diverse group of people.
What Experts Think
Doctors involved in the study are excited. Dr. Robert Kushner says this is the first time a medicine for obesity could be considered life-saving. Dr. George Dangas thinks it opens a new way to help people with obesity and heart problems. Even though it might take some time, more people might start using Wegovy because of these good results.
In Conclusion: A Helpful Medicine for Obesity
Wegovy seems to be a good medicine for people with obesity and heart issues. Not only does it help with losing weight, but it also makes the heart healthier. This could mean that more people will use Wegovy, and insurance might cover it better. It’s good news for people struggling with health problems related to obesity.
