Weight-loss drug approved for heart problems in UK

Weight-loss treatment Wegovy has been approved by the UK's medicines regulator, for reducing the risk of serious heart problems in overweight and obese people.

Wegovy contains the drug semaglutide, which is already prescribed on the NHS to help some people with a body-mass index (BMI) above 26 lose weight.

And it now becomes the first anti-obesity drug to be used to control heart attacks and strokes in people with established heart problems and a similar BMI.

A trial of 17,600 people suggested weekly semaglutide injections for up to five years reduced major cardiovascular events by 20%.

The trial was sponsored by the drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"This treatment option that prevents heart disease and strokes is an important step forward in tackling the serious health consequences of obesity," Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency innovative-medicines deputy director Shirley Hopper said.

“As with all medicines, we will keep its safety under close review.’’

The drug works as an appetite suppressant by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).

This intestinal hormone is released after eating and typically makes people feel fuller.

Like all medication, semaglutide comes with side-effects and risks, including nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.

British Heart Foundation chief scientific and medical officer Prof Bryan Williams said: “Nearly-two thirds of adults in England are living with excess weight or obesity.

"Those that also have an established cardiovascular disease live with a very high risk that a serious event like a heart attack or stroke could happen.

“Several recent studies have shown us that semaglutide is an effective tool that can improve the quality of life for those with cardiovascular disease, including by lowering the risk of serious cardiac events."