HUGE NEWS: Semaglutide Cuts Deaths & CV Events in Obesity

No two ways about it. This is huge. The topline results of the SELECT trial of cardiovascular outcomes with semaglutide in obesity are out and unequivocal. Semaglutide cuts deaths and cardiovascular (CV) events in people with overweight and obesity. An important detail in the announcement of these results regards the three components of the primary outcome (cardiovascular deaths, heart attacks, and stroke):

“All three components of the primary endpoint contributed to the superior MACE reduction demonstrated by semaglutide 2.4 mg. 1,270 first MACEs were accrued.”

Let that sink in. This is the first randomized controlled trial ever to show that treating obesity aggressively can cut the risks of cardiovascular deaths, heart attacks, and strokes. The topline reduction in MACEs (major adverse cardiovascular events) was 20 percent. This is a similar degree of risk reduction that semaglutide delivered in the treatment of diabetes at lower doses.

The difference with the SELECT study is that none of the patients in this trial had diabetes.

Expect a Sea Change

Without question this will trigger a sea change in medical care for obesity. Joe Nadglowski, CEO of the Obesity Action Coalition, sums it up succinctly:

“This tells us very clearly. Semaglutide for obesity is a life-saving medicine for a serious chronic disease. It is now crystal clear that making excuses to deny people the care they need for obesity is unethical.”

Topline Results with Details to Come

Bear in mind that these are only topline results. They give us the headline results but not the nitty gritty details. That will come this fall with the full publication in a major peer-reviewed journal and the presentation of those results at the American Heart Association meeting.

So it will take a while for the full impact of this finding to play out. But make no mistake. The news that semaglutide for treating obesity can reduce deaths and other major cardiovascular events is huge.

Click here for the announcement of these results, here, here, and here for further reporting.

Tulln Gartenbaumesse Feuerwerk, photograph by Uoaei1, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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August 8, 2023