A drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity could also slow down the process of ageing, researchers believe. Semaglutide, better known as Ozempic, "has far-reaching benefits beyond what we initially imagined," Prof Harlan Krumholz, from the Yale School of Medicine, said following the publication of several new studies. They found that the drug could be used to treat a wide range of illnesses linked to heart failure, arthritis, Alzheimer's and even cancer.
"It wouldn't surprise me that improving people's health this way actually slows down the ageing process," Prof Krumholz was quoted on Friday as telling the European Society of Cardiology Conference 2024, where the studies were presented. The new data has been published in a number of medical journals, including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), which Prof Krumholz edits. "These ground-breaking medications are poised to revolutionise cardiovascular care and could dramatically enhance cardiovascular health," he said.
The studies - part of the Select trial - tracked more than 17,600 people, aged 45 or older, as they were given either 2.4 mg of semaglutide or a placebo for more than three years. Participants were obese or overweight and had cardiovascular disease but not diabetes.
Those who took the drug died at a lower rate from all causes, including cardiovascular issues and Covid-19, researchers found. People using the weight-loss drug were just as likely to catch Covid but they were less likely t.