Semaglutide: The cardiovascular benefits of the "miracle injection" against obesity confirmed.
It has now become a viral phenomenon as well as a global controversy: the injectable pen with spectacular slimming properties. It is praised all over social media, from Hollywood to Bollywood, by a tsunami of "slimmed down" users: Elon Musk, Boy George, Khloé Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, Robbie Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Kelly Osbourne... Thousands of influencers inject themselves "on line " and "live" with the "miracle product " giving hope to many many patients suffering with excessive weight! It is marketed under the names Ozempic, Saxenda, and now Wegovy.
Now, is it really a magic scientific formula ? Or a future health scandal ? Well, its benefits have already received world wide approval and its indications are widening every day including neurology.
This "appetite-suppressing" drug is an anti-diabetic whose active ingredient is "semaglutide." It mimics the effects of a natural hormone called GLP-1, which causes a feeling of satiety. It slows down stomach emptying and stimulates insulin production. This is why it was initially intended for patients with type 2 diabetes. Its effectiveness on diabetes and weight loss is such that the number of prescriptions now exceeds the stock available in pharmacies.
On the internet, the hashtag #ozempic has reached hundreds of millions of clicks.
Furthermore, to meet the growing demand from patients, the Danish pharmaceutical company has significantly increased its production and opened new factories in Europe.
The group has also developed and launched a new drug specifically for weight loss: Wegovy. The base molecule is the same as Ozempic—semaglutide—and the presentation is also similar, but the dosage is different (the doses are higher). It is said to help people lose 5 to 20% of their weight in one year of treatment. According to the French health authority (HAS), the side effects of semaglutide are mild to moderate and if they occur, mainly digestive: nausea, accelerated or slowed transit, sometimes vomiting, and rare pseudo-flu-like states. Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson experienced severe symptoms that forced him to stop his weight-loss treatment.
Today, U.S. health authorities—the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in Great Britain have approved the use of Wegovy to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke in obese or overweight individuals suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Analyses from a large trial presented at the European Obesity Congress have shown undeniable benefits of this drug in preventing strokes and heart attacks in patients with pre-existing conditions, regardless of their Body Mass Index (BMI).
Wegovy will be available in French pharmacies by the end of the year. This opens the door to possible reimbursement by health insurances in other European countries in the near future
