Diabetes and obesity drug could delay ageing, researchers suggest

Prescription drug Ozempic, which is 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," Professor Harlan Krumholz, from the Yale School of Medicine, said following the publication of several new studies.

One of the studies found it could reduce the risk of heart failure events by 27% and the risk of cardiovascular death by 29% in people with diabetes and chronic kidney disease. The studies also found the drug could be used to treat a wide range of illnesses linked to heart failure, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

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 to die from it, with 2.6% dying among those on semaglutide compared with 3.1% on the placebo.

And while women experienced fewer major adverse cardiovascular events, the drug "consistently reduced the risk" of adverse cardiovascular outcomes regardless of sex.

It also improved heart failure symptoms and cut levels of inflammation in the body regardless of whether or not people lost weight.

Dr Benjamin Scirica, lead author of one of the studies and a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Harvard Medical School, said the findings "reinforce that overweight and obesity increases the risk of death due to many etiologies".

He told the PA news agency, this "can be modified with potent incretin-based therapies like semaglutide".

Ozempic was first approved for use in Australia by the TGA in 2019 and its popularity spread during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

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A special thanks to our contributors

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Caroline Egan

DCM Media, agedcare101

Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

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Ian Horswill

Journalist

Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

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Lauren Broomham

Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

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Jill Donaldson

Physiotherapist

Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

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Chris Baynes

DCM Media, agedcare101

Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

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Annie Donaldson

Nurse and Carer

Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.