Semaglutide’s Heart Health Benefits – Beyond Weight Loss

Semaglutide’s Heart Health Benefits – Beyond Weight Loss

1. Cardiovascular Protection Observed Early

• Studies have shown that semaglutide reduces the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)—like heart attacks and strokes—even before patients experience significant weight loss.
• This suggests that the drug may have direct heart-protective effects, beyond its impact on body weight.

2. Key Clinical Trial: SELECT

• The SELECT trial involved over 17,000 participants with established cardiovascular disease and overweight/obesity, but without diabetes.
• Patients on semaglutide experienced a 20% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular events compared to placebo.
• Notably, benefits appeared early in the treatment timeline—before large weight loss occurred.

3. Potential Mechanisms Beyond Weight Loss

Semaglutide’s heart benefits might be due to:

• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Improved endothelial function
• Lowered blood pressure and blood sugar
• Reduced oxidative stress

These effects can all help protect blood vessels and reduce cardiovascular risk independent of weight.

4. Clinical Implications

• This changes how doctors might think about GLP-1 receptor agonists: not just as weight-loss or diabetes drugs, but as cardioprotective agents.
• It could support broader use of semaglutide in people at high cardiovascular risk, even if weight loss is not the primary goal.