University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill: Study Finds Oral Semaglutide Vastly Reduces Heart Attacks, Strokes
- Global Research Partnerships
- Apr 16
- 2 min read
A large clinical trial, co-led by researchers at the UNC School of Medicine, has shown that the popular weight-loss drug significantly reduces cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes, pre-existing cardiovascular disease, and/or chronic kidney disease.
Both the injectable and oral forms of semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, have gained recent attention for their effectiveness against weight gain, high blood sugar, and potentially against alcohol cravings.
A new clinical trial, co-led by endocrinologist and diabetes expert John Buse, MD, PhD, and interventional cardiologist Matthew Cavender, MD, MPH, at the UNC School of Medicine has shown that the oral form of semaglutide can significantly reduce cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and/or chronic kidney disease.
“Heart attacks and strokes are among the most common and devastating complications of diabetes,” said Buse, who is the Verne S. Caviness Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Director of the UNC Diabetes Care Center. “Semaglutide has been a main stay of our efforts to reduce heart attack and stroke in people with diabetes. Having an oral option to deliver this highly effective therapy is a big advance.”
Results from the rather large, international trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session & Expo in Chicago, Illinois.
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease that affects one’s ability to control blood sugar levels.
People with the condition need to closely monitor their diet and activity and may need to take medications as their blood sugar becomes more difficult to manage. Those with type 2 diabetes are at a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease because they may develop high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or both, as a result of uncontrolled blood sugar.
