Studies of smeglutide suggest this type of drug may have broader benefits, although researchers found that waist circumference reduction was associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes.
The largest study of its kind to date has found that the weight-loss drug semaglutide can reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke regardless of how much weight a person loses.
However, research shows that a smaller waist (a sign of reduced belly fat) is associated with better heart health.
The results of the study, published in The Lancet, suggest the drug may have broader benefits for patients beyond weight loss and should therefore not be limited to obese patients.
The researchers set out to explore the additional benefits of smeglutinin (the main ingredient in the weight loss drug Wegovy).
The aim of this randomised study, led by University College London (UCL), is to study whether people taking the drug experience “serious adverse cardiac events”, including death from heart disease, heart attack or stroke.
In this study, conducted in 41 countries, participants were divided into two groups: one group received weekly injections of semaglutide, and the other group received a placebo (dummy drug).
An analysis of previous data showed that semaglutide can reduce the risk of serious cardiac events by 20%. Researchers found that this effect was significant regardless of how much weight people taking the drug lost.
Scientists say the study’s findings suggest the drug may benefit the heart in several ways, not just through weight loss.
They found that even those who were slightly overweight and had a body mass index (BMI) of 27 (the average BMI for adults in the UK) experienced the same benefits as those with the highest BMI.
Moreover, the effectiveness of treatment is largely unrelated to how much weight a person loses in the first four months of treatment.
However, the researchers noted a difference between the reduction in waist circumference (measured by waist circumference) and the heart benefits.
In The Lancet, they wrote that “approximately 33% of the observed benefits in major adverse cardiovascular events were achieved by reducing waist circumference.”
”Belly fat is more detrimental to cardiovascular health than overall weight, so it’s not surprising that there is a link between reducing waist circumference and cardiovascular benefits,” said lead author Professor John Deanfield, from the Institute of Cardiovascular Science at University College London.
”However, this still cannot explain two-thirds of smeglutinin’s cardiac benefits. These results redefine our understanding of this drug’s mechanism of action.”
”It’s marketed as a weight-loss injection, but its heart benefits aren’t directly related to weight loss—in fact, it’s a drug that directly impacts heart disease and other age-related conditions.”
”You don’t need to lose a lot of weight or have a very high BMI to reap the cardiovascular benefits. If your goal is to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, there’s no point in limiting its use to a limited time frame and only to people with the highest BMI.”
”At the same time, its benefits must be weighed against potential side effects. Given the wide range of people who may benefit from this drug and other similar medications, studies of side effects are especially important.”
Post time: Nov-10-2025