Researchers say semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, could be biggest medical breakthrough since statins

Researchers say semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, could be biggest medical breakthrough since statins

A weight loss injection could reduce the risk of heart attacks and benefit the cardiovascular health of millions of adults across the UK, in what could be the largest medical breakthrough since statins, according to a study.

It found that participants taking the medication semaglutide, the active ingredient in brands including Wegovy and Ozempic, had a 20% lower risk of heart attack, stroke, or death due to cardiovascular disease.

The study, presented at the European Congress of Obesity (ECO) and led by researchers at University College London, also found that semaglutide brought about cardiovascular benefits for its participants, regardless of their starting weight or the amount of weight that they had lost. It suggests that those with mild obesity or who have lost only a small amount of weight could have an improved cardiovascular outcome.

  • Xhieron@lemmy.worldEnglish
    16·
    6 months ago

    This is fantastic news, but they kind of buried the lede here:

    A separate study looking at a new slimming jab has found that it could be much more effective than those already on the market. Retatrutide, a weekly injection, works by suppressing appetite and also by helping the body burn more fat, according to its phase 2 clinical trial.

    The trial of 338 participants living with obesity showed that participants lost 24% of their body weight over a 48-week period. [emphasis added] Researchers say it is more effective for weight loss than Ozempic or Wegovy, which only work by suppressing appetite.

    That’s a quarter of a person’s mass in less than a year. For persons with obesity, that’s absolutely insane. It’s better than gastric bypass surgery (and depending on your perspective, comparing risk of complications, long-term compliance requirements, and potential side effects, semaglutide already is). It would be like taking semaglutide and also taking meth for a year, but without ruining your life.

    Now if only the taxpayers who paid for the research owned the patent. …