Obesity, Heart Disease and Semaglutide: What You Should Know
The Big Problem with Weight
Let's face it - weight problems are everywhere! Almost one billion people around the world will soon be dealing with obesity. That's like the entire population of the United States times three!
When you're carrying extra weight, your heart has to work overtime. It's like asking your heart to run a marathon while wearing a heavy backpack. No wonder heart disease is the #1 killer worldwide! By 2025, heart disease will cause about 5 million early deaths in men and 2.8 million in women. That's not just a problem - that's a crisis!
Why Diets Often Fail
We've all heard it before: "Just eat less and exercise more!" If only it were that simple!
Here's what really happens: Your body fights back when you try to lose weight. It's like your body has its own emergency plan that kicks in, making you hungrier and slowing down how many calories you burn. Tricky, right?
Plus, changing your habits forever is HARD. Most people can stick to a diet for a while, but keeping it up for years? That's asking a lot!
New Medicine to the Rescue!
This is where the exciting new medications come in! Drugs called "GLP-1 agonists" (like Semaglutide and Tirzepatide) are changing the game. I know those names are a mouthful - let's just call them "weight loss shots" for now.
These shots help you lose weight AND protect your heart at the same time! A big study called the SELECT trial showed that people taking Semaglutide had fewer heart attacks, strokes, and deaths. That's amazing news!
The best part? These medicines seem to protect your heart in ways that go beyond just helping you lose weight.
What This Means for You
If you have obesity but no heart problems yet:
These medicines can help you lose weight
They might stop heart problems before they start
They work best when you also make healthy changes to your eating and activity
If you already have heart problems:
These medicines could lower your chance of having another heart attack or stroke
They might help you live longer and healthier
They can make your heart doctor very happy at your next checkup!
Team Up with Your Doctors 🩺
Weight and heart health are complicated! You'll get the best results by working with your regular doctor, heart doctor, and weight management doctor together. They can create a plan just for you that might include:
The right medicine at the right dose
Food plans that actually work for your life
Movement that feels good and fits your schedule
Regular checkups to see how you're doing
The Bottom Line
The connection between weight and heart health is real, but now we have better tools than ever to address both problems at once. These new medicines are giving hope to millions of people who have struggled with their weight and worried about their hearts.
Remember: Your body is amazing and deserves the best care possible!
Medical Weight Loss Done Right™
Dr. Leon Katz
Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine
This article is for educational purposes and should not be construed as medical advice. Please discuss this with your health care professional to see if it applies to you.
Sources:
1) Obesity: missing the 2025 targets. https://bit.ly/4kLnAhN
2) The Heart of 25 by 25: Achieving the Goal of Reducing Global and Regional Premature Deaths From Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke: A Modeling Study From the American Heart Association and World Heart Federation. Ralph L. Sacco et al. Circulation
Volume 133, Number 23 https://bit.ly/4ktt2ph
3) Semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with obesity and prevalent heart failure: a prespecified analysis of the SELECT trial. Prof John Deanfield, FRCP et al. The Lancet. Volume 404, Issue 10454 p773-786 August 24, 2024. https://bit.ly/4i8Obnb
