A study has shown that patients who took the obesity treatment drug Wegovy maintained an average weight loss of about 10% four years later.
The research results were published in the European Congress on Obesity in Venice, Italy.
Wegovy is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that was the first of its kind to be released, originally developed for diabetes treatment but has shown effects in controlling obesity.
Meanwhile, Wegovy not only treats diabetes and manages obesity, but also has heart-protective effects.
In the Select clinical trial, the research team evaluated the heart-protective effect of Wegovy on 17,604 overweight or obese patients with a history of underlying heart disease but no history of diabetes.
Since this study was not aiming to observe obesity, the patient’s diet and exercise were not recorded, and 17% of all patients stopped taking Wegovy due to side effects such as nausea during the study. Patients who took Wegovy for 65 weeks saw an average weight loss of about 10%, and this effect of about 10.2% weight loss was maintained even after four years.
Apart from the weight loss effect, Wegovy provided patients with heart-protective effects. The research team explained that Wegovy reduced the risk of major cardiovascular diseases (such as stroke) by 20% in overweight or obese patients with a history of heart disease.
The experts stated that further research is being conducted on the cardiovascular protective mechanism of semaglutide.
Novo Nordisk said that this study was the longest study confirming the weight loss effect of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy. They claimed that as long as patients continue to take Wegovy, they can maintain weight loss without experiencing a yo-yo effect.
The UK Public Health Department has questioned the long-term effects of Wegovy and limited the insurance coverage period to two years. However, this study is expected to bolster Novo Nordisk’s claim that the insurance application for Wegovy should be extended.
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