A major weight loss drug could lower the risk of death from heart disease, infections, and even COVID-19.

A recent study has found that semaglutide (Ozempic) could have a number of previously unknown benefits. 

This finding is based on an international clinical trial involving over 17,500 participants aged 45 and older who were overweight or obese. 

Half of the participants were randomly assigned to receive semaglutide, while the other half received a placebo. 

The trial, known as SELECT, spanned an average of 3.3 years.

Over the course of the study, 833 participants died, but those who took semaglutide experienced a notably lower risk of death from all causes, as well as a reduced risk of cardiovascular death. 

“The lower rate of non-CV death with semaglutide was predominantly due to fewer infectious deaths,” the researchers said. 

Heart-related deaths were most often attributed to sudden cardiac events, but the rates were lower in the semaglutide group compared to the placebo group.

Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers noted that while participants taking semaglutide were just as likely to contract COVID-19, they were less likely to suffer severe complications or die from the virus. 

The researchers observed fewer COVID-19-related deaths and serious health issues among the semaglutide group. 

Specifically, 43 participants in the semaglutide group died from COVID-19 compared to 65 in the placebo group, a reduction of 34 per cent.

Semaglutide has previously been acknowledged for its weight loss benefits, but the SELECT trial is the first to demonstrate that it can also improve survival rates in individuals with cardiovascular disease and obesity. 

The trial's findings also align with past studies suggesting that weight reduction can lead to lower inflammation, which may contribute to better health outcomes. 

Researchers, however, caution that the exact mechanisms by which semaglutide reduces mortality remain unclear. 

Further studies are needed to explore how the drug's metabolic pathways may influence both cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality.

The full study is accessible here.

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