Semaglutide may help treat heart failure symptoms in type 2 diabetes

• The prevalence of both obesity and type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly.
• One common complication of these conditions is heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a condition with a poor prognosis and life-limiting symptoms.
• There are currently no effective treatments to target obesity-related HFpEF in people with type 2 diabetes.
• New research suggests that semaglutide (Wegovy), which is commonly used for weight loss, may reduce symptoms of heart failure in people with both type 2 diabetes and obesity.

As the prevalence of obesity increases worldwide, the need for effective treatments for related health conditions is becoming more urgent.

In the United States, more than 42% of adults have obesity, and around 35 million adults have type 2 diabetes. For the many people with both conditions, the risk of heart failure is high.

The most common form of heart failure in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes is heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Up to half of those with type 2 diabetes will develop HFpEF, which results in a severely impaired quality of life and reduced life expectancy.

Despite the prevalence of HFpEF, there are currently no effective treatments to target obesity-related HFpEF in people with type 2 diabetes.

Now, research suggests that semaglutide (Wegovy), a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that was developed as a treatment for type 2 diabetes and is an effective weight-loss medication, may also help reduce symptoms of HFpEF in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The study appears in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Richard Wright, MD, board-certified cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, not involved in this research, commented on the trial results for Medical News Today. He told us that:

“This is an important trial which reinforces the concept that patients with the [symptoms] of heart failure syndrome can be further benefited by administration of a drug that…