Diabetes drug effective in reducing heart disease risk, finds Study

A recent study has found that semaglutide can help lower the risk of cardiovascular complications in people with diabetes by up to 14 per cent. Semaglutide is a common anti-diabetes drug which can reduce the likelihood of complications like heart attacks and strokes, according to the new study. 

Semaglutide is usually used to treat diabetes which works by helping people manage their blood sugar levels. It has also shown effectiveness in weight loss and thus, is also used as an anti-obesity medication.

Researchers, including those at the University of North Carolina, US, found that the oral form of Semaglutide can help to reduce cardiovascular events in people with Type 2 diabetes, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (arteries harden due to build-up of fat) and chronic kidney disease.

John Buse, a professor of medicine and director of the Diabetes Care Center, University of North Carolina, an endocrinologist and the study's lead author said, "Heart attacks and strokes are among the most common and devastating complications of



diabetes.

"Semaglutide has been a mainstay of our efforts to reduce heart attack and stroke in people with diabetes. Having an oral option to deliver this highly effective therapy is a big advance."

For the study, 9,650 people -- aged 50 years and above -- with Type 2 diabetes and known to have atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or both, were recruited.

The participants were randomly assigned to receive either a once-daily oral Semaglutide (14 mg) or a placebo (an inactive substance). Standard treatment for lowering glucose and cardiovascular risk was provided to the study group.

The authors wrote, "Among persons with Type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease or both, the use of oral Semaglutide was associated with a significantly lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events than placebo."

They also added that non-fatal myocardial infarction or heart attack, was seen to show the highest reduction in risk.