Semaglutide reduces body weight to a greater extent in females; yields similar improvements in heart failure-related symptoms in both sexes<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) — For patients with obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), semaglutide reduces body weight to a greater extent in women but yields similar improvements in heart failure-related symptoms in men and women, according to a study published online June 23 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology<\/em> to coincide with the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association, held from June 21 to 24 in Orlando, Florida.<\/p>\n Subodh Verma, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Toronto, and colleagues examined the baseline characteristics and treatment effect of semaglutide by sex across the STEP-HFpEF program. Patients with heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction \u00e2\u0089\u00a545 percent, body mass index \u00e2\u0089\u00a530 kg\/m2<\/sup>, and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Clinical Summary Score (KCCQ-CSS) <90 points were randomly assigned to receive once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg or matched placebo for 52 weeks. Data were included for 1,145 patients (49.7 percent female).<\/p>\n The researchers found that regardless of sex, semaglutide improved KCCQ-CSS (mean difference in women and men, +7.6 and +7.5, respectively), but reduced body weight more in women than men (mean difference, \u00e2\u0088\u00929.6 and \u00e2\u0088\u00927.2 percent, respectively). In both sexes, semaglutide improved six-minute walk distance (6MWD) and the hierarchical composite end point comprising all-cause death, heart failure events, changes in KCCQ-CSS, and 6MWD. Compared with placebo, there were fewer serious adverse events with semaglutide.<\/p>\n “Despite greater reductions in weight in females than males, semaglutide produced similar, clinically meaningful improvements in heart failure-related symptoms, physical limitations, and exercise function, along with reductions in inflammation and natriuretic peptides, regardless of sex,” the authors write.<\/p>\n Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including Novo Nordisk, which manufactures semaglutide and funded the study.<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n