The prevalence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is on the rise and is linked to significant symptom burden and functional limitations, particularly in individuals who are obese. Currently, there are no approved treatments specifically aimed at addressing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction related to obesity.

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine aimed to evaluate the efficacy of semaglutide in managing heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in individuals with obesity. A total of 529 patients with HFpEF and a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher were randomly assigned to receive either once-weekly semaglutide (2.4 mg) or a placebo for 52 weeks.

The primary endpoints of the study were the change from baseline in the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire clinical summary score (KCCQ-CSS) and the change in body weight. Secondary endpoints included changes in the 6-minute walk distance, a composite endpoint combining death, heart failure events, and differences in KCCQ-CSS and 6-minute walk distance, and changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.

Results showed significant improvements in patients receiving semaglutide compared to those receiving the placebo. Semaglutide led to a mean change of 16.6 points in KCCQ-CSS compared to 8.7 points with placebo. Additionally, there was a mean percentage change in body weight of -13.3% with semaglutide compared to -2.6% with placebo. Semaglutide also demonstrated a significant improvement in the 6-minute walk distance and a reduction in CRP levels.

The study concluded that treatment with semaglutide (2.4 mg) resulted in larger reductions in symptoms and physical limitations, greater improvements in exercise function, and greater weight loss compared to placebo in patients with HFpEF and obesity. The findings suggest that semaglutide could be a promising therapeutic option for managing HFpEF in obese individuals.1

Read more here.

References

  1. Kosiborod, M., Abildstrøm, S. Z., Borlaug, B. A., Butler, J., Rasmussen, S., Davies, M. J., Hovingh, G. K., Kitzman, D. W., Lindegaard, M. L., Møller, D. V., Shah, S. J., Treppendahl, M. B., Verma, S., Abhayaratna, W. P., Ahmed, F., Chopra, V., Ezekowitz, J. A., Fu, M., Ito, H., . . . Petrie, M. C. (2023). Semaglutide in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine, 389(12), 1069–1084. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2306963

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