Semaglutide is a medication originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, and it has recently gained attention for its effectiveness in aiding weight loss. Many patients wonder if this weight-loss drug could also help lower the risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks and strokes. After all, carrying extra weight is known to strain the heart and affect overall health.
Why Weight Matters for Heart Health
Excess body weight isn’t just about how you look; it can have real effects on your heart and blood vessels. Being overweight or obese often leads to issues like higher blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and an increased chance of developing type 2 diabetes, all of which raise the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
In fact, obesity itself is considered an independent risk factor for heart disease. This means that even before a heart attack happens, carrying extra pounds is putting added stress on your heart and circulation.
The good news is that losing weight, even a modest amount, can improve these risk factors. Losing just 5-10% of your body weight can lead to better blood pressure readings, improved blood sugar control, and healthier cholesterol levels. These changes reduce the strain on your heart. So, achieving a healthier weight is widely recognized as one way to help protect your heart and reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular events.
Semaglutide, by helping people lose weight and control blood sugar, may indirectly contribute to these heart-healthy changes.
What is Semaglutide, and How Can It Affect the Heart?
Semaglutide belongs to a class of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists. It was first used to improve blood sugar in type 2 diabetes and later approved at a higher dose for weight loss.
Semaglutide helps regulate appetite and glucose levels, leading many patients to eat less and lose weight more effectively when combined with diet and lifestyle changes. But can these effects translate into fewer heart attacks and strokes?
While semaglutide is not a cardiovascular drug per se, its impact on weight and metabolism sparked research into whether it might also improve heart health outcomes. Simply put, if a medication helps you shed significant weight and manage diabetes, we’d hope to see a lower risk of heart complications as a result.
To explore this, scientists conducted large studies to see if patients on semaglutide had fewer heart problems than those not on the medication. Two important clinical trials — SELECT (2023) and SUSTAIN-6 (2016) — give us some answers.
SELECT Trial: Heart Outcomes in People with Obesity (No Diabetes)
This large, international trial looked at over 17,000 adults who had obesity or were overweight, all of whom already had cardiovascular disease (like a prior heart attack or stroke) but did not have diabetes.
One group took a weekly high-dose of semaglutide (the dose used for weight loss), and the other group took a placebo injection. They were followed for about 3-5 years.
The results were encouraging: the semaglutide group had about a 20% lower risk of major heart problems (heart attack, stroke, or death from heart disease) compared to the placebo group. In addition, people on semaglutide lost an average of 9.4% of their body weight, whereas those on placebo lost under 1%.
Importantly, these patients were still on their standard heart medications (for blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.) during the trial.
SUSTAIN-6 Trial: Heart Outcomes in People with Type 2 Diabetes
This earlier trial focused on about 3,300 patients with type 2 diabetes, many of whom also had high cardiovascular risk or prior heart disease. They were given either semaglutide (at diabetes doses) or a placebo and followed for around 2 years.
The findings showed that patients on semaglutide had fewer major cardiovascular events (a combination of heart-related death, non-fatal heart attacks, and non-fatal strokes) than patients on placebo.
In particular, the risk of stroke was significantly lower with semaglutide. The overall benefit was a roughly 26% reduction in the risk of these events.
What These Studies Mean
These trial results are exciting, but they should be viewed from the right perspective. They tell us that semaglutide can be part of a strategy to reduce heart attack and stroke risk, likely because it helps patients achieve a healthier weight and better control of risk factors. However, it’s crucial to understand what these findings do not mean, which brings us to our next section.
Semaglutide Is Not a “Cure” for Heart Disease
Even with these positive study results, semaglutide should not be thought of as a cure for heart disease. If you or someone you know has heart disease, you will still need standard treatments (such as blood pressure medications, cholesterol-lowering drugs, or other therapies your cardiologist recommends) to manage those conditions.
Semaglutide’s role is more of a preventive helper through weight management. By helping patients lose weight and control diabetes, it can lower the risk factors that often lead to heart attacks and strokes. It’s one piece of the puzzle.
Think of it this way: semaglutide helps you improve your health (less weight, better blood sugar levels), and those improvements reduce strain on the heart and arteries over time, thereby reducing the chance of heart-related events.
However, semaglutide is not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle or other heart medications your doctor prescribes. You’ll get the best protection for your heart by combining approaches: medication (if appropriate), diet, exercise, not smoking, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol.
Find Out if Semaglutide Is Right for You
At New Horizon Wellness Clinics, your health and safety are our top priorities. Our team is here to answer your questions and craft a weight loss plan that fits your individual needs. If you’re concerned about your weight and how it affects your heart, or if you’re curious whether semaglutide might be a good option for you, we’re here to help.
Contact us today for a consultation, and let’s work together to achieve a healthier weight and a healthier heart. Your journey to better health could be on the horizon!