This is the first label-approved drug for obesity that reduces cardiovascular risk
The numbers are frightening: there are 1 billion overweight or obese people in the world; these patients spend an average of six years after noticing their first weight-related difficulties to seek help from a health professional; in the table of the three main cardiovascular risk factors (dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes), being overweight occupies an important part, increasing the risk of these diseases from 400 to 700%.
“Approximately 45% of people diagnosed with hypertension are obese/overweight, 35% of those with dyslipidemia are overweight or obese, and 90% of diabetics are overweight or obese. Obesity also increases the risk of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and heart failure. Deborah Berangerendocrinologist, with a master’s degree in Endocrinology and Metabology from the Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro (SCMRJ).
Therefore, the physician celebrates the announcement of the Novo Nordisk A/S laboratory of semaglutide with 2.4 mg that reduces the risk of serious adverse cardiovascular events by 20% in overweight or obese adults.
“This announcement is important because this is the first drug package insert approved for obesity that reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke (cerebrovascular accident) demonstrated by studies. Reducing obesity worldwide should be a public health priority, as should protecting the cardiovascular and metabolic health of these patients. There is no drug approved in the package insert for this so far,” adds the doctor.
Result of cardiovascular studies
The announcement was made by the laboratory with key findings from the Select Cardiovascular Outcomes Study. The drug Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg) is expected to arrive in Brazil in 2024 and is a GLP-1 receptor agonist indicated as an adjunct to a low-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight control in adults with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obesity) and adults with a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) with at least one weight-related comorbidity.
“The double-blind study compared semaglutide 2.4 mg subcutaneously once weekly with placebo as an adjunct to standard of care for the prevention of serious adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) for up to five years. There were 17,604 adults 45 years of age and older who were overweight or obese and had established cardiovascular disease, but no prior history of diabetes. The risk decreases by 20% ”, explains the doctor.
“People are already using Ozempic, which is a 1mg semaglutide to treat obesity, but in the package insert it’s only licensed for diabetics. Overall, these obesity drugs don’t directly protect the heart,” he adds.
Change of life habit
In the study, semaglutide 2.4 mg appeared to have a safe and well-tolerated profile consistent with previous studies of semaglutide 2.4 mg. The detailed results of Select will be presented at a scientific conference in late 2023.
The doctor points out that, in order to overcome obesity, in addition to medicines, it is important to change lifestyle habits, especially with a balanced and diversified diet. “A healthy diet, with a food model that favors natural and varied foods, is the basis for the prevention and treatment of obesity and diabetes,” he concludes.
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Source: Terra
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