The weight-loss drug semaglutide—the active ingredient in Wegovy—reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke even for people who lose little or no weight, according to a major international study published in The Lancet.
Researchers from University College London (UCL) examined data from 17,604 adults aged 45 and over who were overweight or obese. Participants received either weekly semaglutide injections or a placebo across 41 countries. Results showed a 20% reduction in serious heart events, such as heart attacks, strokes, or deaths from heart disease, regardless of how much weight was lost.
The study found that smaller waistlines, rather than overall weight loss, were linked to better heart outcomes—about one-third of the heart benefits were attributed to reductions in abdominal fat.
Lead author Prof John Deanfield said, “Abdominal fat is more dangerous for our cardiovascular health than overall weight. However, two-thirds of the heart benefits remain unexplained, suggesting semaglutide may directly protect the heart and slow diseases of ageing.”
He added that the findings should prompt doctors to rethink how semaglutide is prescribed: “You don’t need a high BMI or major weight loss to benefit. Restricting use only to severely obese patients doesn’t make sense if the goal is to prevent heart disease.”
The researchers cautioned, however, that the potential side-effects of semaglutide must be carefully weighed as its use expands to a broader range of patients.
