Semaglutide Found to Lower Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
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Reviewed by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM.
Translated by Nhi Phuong Quynh Le, B.A |
Posted on June 27th, 2025
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Those affected with type 2 diabetes experience an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous study examining the glycemic control of semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, had found that it also reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease. To fully explore this relationship, Novo Nordisk had sponsored a study to examine the effect of semaglutide on cardiovascular health in patients with type 2 diabetes.
The phase 3 clinical trial enrolled almost ten thousand participants with a mean age of 66 years old, who had been living with type 2 diabetes for an average duration of around 15 years. Baseline biochemical analysis found the cohort’s average glycated hemoglobin level to be 8.0%. Most of the participants had a history of cardiovascular or chronic kidney disease, with 90% of the participants were diagnosed with hypertension.
The patients were randomly assigned to be treated orally with either placebo or semaglutide. The latter was initiated with a daily dose of 3 mg, which then escalated to 7 mg and eventually 14 mg. After a median treatment and follow-up period of 49.5 months, the researchers found that semaglutide reduced the risk of cardiovascular events in the form of myocardial infarction, stroke, etc. Other secondary results confirmed previous observations that semaglutide reduces glycated hemoglobin levels, body weight, and C-reactive protein.
The phase 3 clinical trial enrolled almost ten thousand participants with a mean age of 66 years old, who had been living with type 2 diabetes for an average duration of around 15 years. Baseline biochemical analysis found the cohort’s average glycated hemoglobin level to be 8.0%. Most of the participants had a history of cardiovascular or chronic kidney disease, with 90% of the participants were diagnosed with hypertension.
The patients were randomly assigned to be treated orally with either placebo or semaglutide. The latter was initiated with a daily dose of 3 mg, which then escalated to 7 mg and eventually 14 mg. After a median treatment and follow-up period of 49.5 months, the researchers found that semaglutide reduced the risk of cardiovascular events in the form of myocardial infarction, stroke, etc. Other secondary results confirmed previous observations that semaglutide reduces glycated hemoglobin levels, body weight, and C-reactive protein.