Oct 23, 2025
3 min read
A study of semaglutide suggests that these drugs may have broader benefits, although researchers find that waist reduction is associated with better cardiac outcomes.
The weight-loss drug semaglutide reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke, no matter how much weight people lose, according to the largest study yet.
However, a reduction in waist size — a sign of less belly fat — is associated with better heart outcomes, according to research.
The findings, published in the Lancet journal, suggest the drug may have wider benefits for patients beyond weight loss, so it should not be limited to severely obese patients.
Researchers are starting to examine the additional benefits of Semaglutide, which is the missing weight loss ingredient.
Select the test, led by the University College London (UCL)
They analyzed data on 17,604 people aged 45 and who were overweight or obese.
Half of the people taking part in the study - which was carried out in 41 countries - received weekly injections of semaglutide.The other half were given a fake drug, known as a placebo.
A preliminary analysis of the data found that semglaride reduced the risk of serious adverse events by 20%.Researchers are now finding that the benefit was seen regardless of how heavily people were burdened while taking the drug.
Researchers said their findings suggest that there are multiple ways in which the drug may benefit the heart, rather than weight loss alone providing a protective effect.
They found that even people who were slightly overweight and had a body mass index (BMI) of 27 - the average BMI for adults in the UK - experienced similar benefits to those with the highest BMI scores.
Benefits are also independent in people who miss four months of treatment.
But researchers saw differences in completed waist measurements, waist circumference measurements, and cardiovascular outcomes.
Writing in the journal, they say that an "increased 33% in cardiovascular events is mainly in the lumbar spine".
The lead author, professor. John Deanfield, at the UCL Science Center, said: "Fat is not stupid it is very dangerous for our health, so it is not surprising that the reduction of the cause and benefits of the heart.
"However, this still leaves two-thirds of semaglutide's heart benefits unexplained. These findings confirm what we thought the drug was doing.
"It's labeled as a weight-loss drug, but its heart benefits aren't directly related to weight loss—in fact, it's a drug that directly affects heart disease and other diseases of aging."
He added: “This work has implications for how semaglutide is used in clinical practice.
You do not need to lose a lot of weight and you do not need a high BMI.If your goal is to reduce your risk of heart disease, limit your use to only those with a higher BMIS.
"Also, it will be difficult to benefit from its possible benefits. Its research is especially important to give medicine to others and others, it can help."
