A Large New Study on Weight Loss Drugs Like Wegovy Has Good News if You’re Looking To Reduce Your Heart Attack Risk

Leigh Weingus
·3 min read

Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have been everywhere in 2023. And as the injectable diabetes medication millions of people swear by for weight loss becomes more popular, its other benefits (and drawbacks) are being studied more closely.

In general, the news is good—particularly the results of a recent study, which found that a once-weekly injection of 2.4 of semaglutide (like Ozempic or Wegovy) is associated with a 20% lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

For the study, researchers enrolled over 17,000 people in a trial. All participants were over the age of 45, were overweight or obese, had an established history of cardiovascular disease and had no diabetes. 

They found that weekly use of semaglutides, or GLP-1 receptor agonists, was correlated with a statistically significant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Related: The Worst Habit for Heart Health, According to Cardiologists

"People living with obesity have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease but to date, there are no approved weight management medications proven to deliver effective weight management while also reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death. Therefore, we are very excited about the results from SELECT showing that semaglutide 2.4 mg reduces the risk of cardiovascular events,” Martin Holst Lange, executive vice president for Development at Novo Nordisk, said. “SELECT is a landmark trial and has demonstrated that semaglutide 2.4 mg has the potential to change how obesity is regarded and treated."

But what does a doctor who treats patients with obesity for a living think of these findings? Here's everything you need to know.  

Related: How Much Weight Can You Expect to Lose on Ozempic?

Why GLP-1s Can Help With Heart Health

According to Dr. Ania Jasterboff, MD, Ph.D., an endocrinologist and obesity researcher at Yale School of Medicine, these findings are impressive. "Treating obesity clearly improved health outcomes in people with obesity and cardiovascular disease," she says. "In the past, studies have also shown that GLP-1 receptor agonists also reduce risk for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with Type 2 diabetes."

The key difference with this study, she explains, is that it's the first study to look at how this type of medication can impact people without diabetes. "This trial only investigated the impact of semaglutide in reducing risk of cardiovascular death, heart attacks and strokes," Dr. Jasterboff says.

Related: The One Thing Stroke Doctors Say to Never Do

Of course, Dr. Jasterboff emphasizes that semaglutide isn't the only thing people can do to improve their heart health and prevent an adverse cardiac event—far from it, actually. "Quitting or avoiding smoking, eating a healthy diet and getting more physical activity are all ways people with or without diabetes can reduce their risk for heart attack or stroke," she explains.

Semaglutides are still being studied, so it's a good idea to try natural, tried-and-true methods for reducing heart attack risk like those listed by Dr. Jasterboff above. With that in mind, if you're struggling with obesity and heart health, it may be worth talking to your doctor about trying a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Just keep in mind that a small percentage of people do experience some rough side effects—particularly nausea!

Next up: What It's Like to Take Ozempic Week by Week

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