Weight loss drug Wegovy can reduce heart attack risk, study says

Aug 08, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Ben Burke (Editor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer)

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The weight loss drug Wegovy has become wildly popular, and the health benefits go beyond just dropping pounds, according to new data released by the drugmaker. Results of the clinical trial released on Tuesday, Aug. 8, suggests the supplement, used for quickly losing weight, directly coincides with a lower risk of heart disease by as much as 20%.

The study, which has not been peer-reviewed, suggests people taking Wegovy have cut their risk of experiencing a heart attack or a stroke by one-fifth. That’s a higher reduction than what many health experts had originally predicted.

The clinical trials lasted more than five years and studied more than 17,000 patients who were overweight or obese with heart disease taking Wegovy or a placebo.

Now that the results are in, the Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk wants to capitalize on the results by looking to add cardiovascular benefits to the drug’s prescribing label. If that happens, there’s a higher chance insurance companies would provide more coverage for the weight loss pills that typically cost more than $1,300 a month.

Ozempic, the Type 2 diabetes injection that has become a popular weight loss drug lowered cardiovascular risk by 26%, according to a clinical trial solely for diabetics. Ozempic has not been approved by the FDA as a weight loss drug.

A study published by the National Institute for Health and Care Research says obesity raises the risk of heart disease by at least 28%.

While the Wegovy clinical trial points to promising results of lowering heart disease, the No. 1 killer in the U.S., there have also been health concerns posed by the government over taking the pills.

Straight Arrow News reported in July about an investigation into the potential link between the drug and stomach paralysis.

Tags: FDA, Health, prescription drugs, Weight Loss

THE WEIGHT LOSS DRUG WEGOVY HAS BECOME WILDLY POPULAR —

AND THE HEALTH BENEFITS GO BEYOND JUST DROPPING POUNDS ACCORDING TO NEW DATA.

A TRIAL-STUDY NOW SUGGESTS THE SUPPLEMENT FOR LOSING WEIGHT FAST DIRECTLY COINCIDES WITH A LOWER RISK OF HEART DISEASE —

BY AS MUCH AS **20 PERCENT**.

THE STUDY SUGGESTS PEOPLE TAKING WEGOVY HAVE CUT THEIR RISK OF SUFFERING A HEART ATTACK OR A STROKE BY ONE-FIFTH.

THAT’S A HIGHER REDUCTION THAN WHAT MANY HEALTH EXPERTS HAD ORIGINALLY PREDICTED.

THE CLINICAL TRIALS LASTED MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AND STUDIED MORE THAN 17 THOUSAND PATIENTS WHO WERE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE WITH HEART DISEASE TAKING WEGOVY OR A PLACEBO.

NOW THAT THE RESULTS ARE IN –

PARENT COMPANY “NOVO NORDISK” WANTS TO CAPITALIZE ON THE RESULTS —

LOOKING TO ADD CARDIOVASCULAR BENEFITS TO THE DRUG’S PRESCRIBING LABEL.

IF THAT HAPPENS — THERE’S A HIGHER CHANCE **INSURANCE COMPANIES** WOULD PROVIDE MORE COVERAGE FOR THE WEIGHT LOSS PILLS THAT TYPICALLY COST MORE THAN 13 HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH.

WHILE THE STUDY HASN’T YET BEEN PEER-REVIEWED —

THE RESULTS MAKE SENSE.

OBESITY RAISES YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE BY AT LEAST **28 PERCENT —

ACCORDING TO A STUDY PUBLISHED BY THE “NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH AND CARE RESEARCH.”

SO IF BY TAKING WEGOVY, PATIENTS ARE REACHING A HEALTHIER WEIGHT — THEN THAT LOWERS THE HIGH RISK LEVELS ASSOCIATED WITH OBESITY.

THE OTHER POPULAR WEIGHT-LOSS AND DIABETES DRUG OZEMPIC LOWERED CARDIOVASCULAR RISK BY 26 PERCENT — ACCORDING TO A CLINICAL TRIAL SOLELY FOR DIABETICS.

WHILE THE WEGOVY CLINICAL TRIAL POINTS TO PROMISING RESULTS OF LOWERING HEART DISEASE — THE NUMBER ONE KILLER IN THE U.S. —

THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN HEALTH **CONCERNS POSED BY THE GOVERNMENT OVER TAKING THE PILLS – INCLUDING A POTENTIAL LINK TO STOMACH PARALYSIS.

YOU CAN FIND THAT REPORT ON OUR WEBSITE S-A-N DOT COM.