New research reveals taking weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy could significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes – even without significant weight loss.
Key points:
- Researchers found weight loss injections may reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes
- The study followed over 175,000 overweight or obese people across 41 countries
- Those taking medications like Ozempic had a lower risk of heart disease
- Experts describe the findings as potentially “game-changing” for clinical practices
Could a weight loss injection be a new way to help prevent heart attacks and strokes? According to a significant study, the answer may be yes.
Groundbreaking Findings
The study spent five years tracking 177,000 overweight or obes people across more than 40 countries. Half of the participants received doses of anti-obesity drugs like Ozempic (semaglutide) or Wegovy (tirzepatide), while the other half got a placebo.
Surprisingly, the researchers found that those taking the weight loss medications had a significantly lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes – regardless of how much weight they lost.
Potential “Game-Changer”
Experts praise the study’s findings as potentially “game-changing”, comparing it to the introduction of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs in the 1990s. Dr. Christina Gerdts, a cardiologist, called it “a really important discovery” that could fundamentally change how heart disease is treated.
“It’s the sort of thing we got with statins…we finally figured out that there was a drug class that would change the biology of this disease to benefit a lot of people,” she explained.
However, exactly how these weight loss medications reduce heart risks is still unknown. Scientists theorize it may be linked to reducing inflammation, which plays a role in various chronic diseases.
Widespread Impact
With obesity rates rising globally, medications that prevent heart attacks and strokes could have an immense impact. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 8 adults are obese worldwide, while 7.6 million people in the UK alone suffer from heart disease.
While more research is still needed before a wider rollout, the findings offer hope for millions at risk of developing deadly cardiovascular conditions. Could a simple injection be the future of heart disease prevention?
Photo Credit: freepik
