Weight Loss Drug Cuts Risk of Heart Problems, Maker Says

Published: August 08, 2023

A brand new weight problems drug, Wegovy, slashed the danger of significant coronary heart issues by 20 % in a big trial, the drug’s maker mentioned on Tuesday, a discovering that might put stress on insurers to cowl the in-demand therapy.

The trial — the primary to reveal that one of many new class of weight problems medication may additionally shore up sufferers’ coronary heart well being — strengthened the scientific consensus that weight problems brings with it medical dangers like coronary heart assaults and strokes.

And it bolstered the concept that these weight problems medication can ship long-term well being advantages along with serving to sufferers drop pounds.

The drug’s maker, Novo Nordisk, reported solely its top-line findings from the trial on Tuesday and never particulars about how Wegovy affected the danger of particular person cardiovascular issues or sufferers’ weight. The trial included individuals aged 45 and older with out diabetes. The knowledge has not but been revealed in a peer-reviewed journal.

The trial, which included roughly 17,000 adults with heart problems who have been chubby or had weight problems, tracked the incidence of coronary heart assaults, strokes and cardiovascular deaths. It discovered that Wegovy diminished the danger of these outcomes by 20 %.

“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,” mentioned Martin Holst Lange, government vice chairman for Development at Novo Nordisk.

Medicare doesn’t cowl weight reduction medicines and a few employer insurance policy have refused to pay for it, owing to the view that the medication are usually not important medical treatments. But the brand new trial exhibiting long-term medical advantages will seemingly enhance the stress on insurers to help the therapy, analysts mentioned.

The drug’s excessive listing value of $1,349 a month places it out of attain for many whose insurance coverage won’t cowl it.

Simon Cork, a senior lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University in England who has studied weight problems, mentioned that the findings wanted to be confirmed by way of peer evaluate, however that “they demonstrate the urgent need for patients living with obesity to be offered this effective and safe drug to prevent future disease.”

He mentioned that the drug may lower your expenses for well being techniques even because it improved sufferers’ lives. It may additionally change an method to weight problems that has lengthy emphasised the accountability of sufferers for combating their very own weight positive aspects.

“This data also shows the need for obesity to be treated as a serious health issue which needs aggressive treatment,” he mentioned.

Source web site: www.nytimes.com