Weight Loss Goes Far Beyond it's Face Value

Brought to you by Nervana Provider Niki Pazell MSN, AG-ACNP-BC

Semaglutide and weight loss go far beyond the external benefits of looking better. Below is a snapshot of latest research showing the benefits of utilizing Semaglutide for weight loss in people diagnosed with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is defined as a type of failure that occurs when the muscle of one’s left ventricle becomes stiff and is less able to relax following ejection of blood. In turn the pressures inside the heart can rise. Common causes of HFpEF include diabetes, obesity, hypertension, coronary artery blockages, and heart valve disorders.

In healthcare we talk about modifiable vs nonmodifiable risk factors. The nonmodifiable risk factors include genetics, advancing age, gender, and even race. We can however strive to change what we can through maintaining a health weight, getting at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, not smoking, eating a well-balanced diet in conjunction with seeing your healthcare provider for monitoring of your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

In this published research by Kosiborod et al. they randomly assigned 529 patients with a diagnosis of HFpEF and a BMI of over 30 to 52 week period of those receiving Semaglutide vs. Placebo. The primary end point of the study showed that those in the Semaglutide group lost a mean percentage of -13.3% of their body weight vs those in the placebo group who lost a mean percentage of -2.6%.

Most intriguing is the overall improvement in the Semaglutide groups cardiac health. The Semaglutide group were able to walk further distances than the placebo group and in general had a reduction in their symptoms.

For full article, visit:

nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2306963