Semaglutide may be a new therapeutic option for obesity-related heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, with results from a landmark study showing substantial reductions in symptom burden.

The Novo Nordisk–funded trial found that patients given the GLP-1 receptor agonist had a twofold improvement in symptoms and physical limitations, as well as fewer adverse heart failure events, compared with those given placebo.

Patients assigned to once-weekly semaglutide 2.4mg also had an average 13.3% drop in body weight compared with a 2.6% reduction in the placebo group, with a between-group difference of nearly 11%.

Principal investigator and US cardiologist Dr Mikhail Kosiborod said the magnitude of benefits reported “is the largest seen with any agent” for treating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).