Can weight loss medications lower your chances of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death? A doctor at Yale School of Medicine says yes, as research shines light on the broader implications of using these medicines.
One woman from North Haven was prescribed the medications for exactly that reason.
“I have a 13-year-old daughter, and you know I wanted to be a good example for her to show her that we're healthy, active,” Margherita Leonard said. “But I even though we were doing those things, before the medication, I was at a standstill.”
Two years ago, Leonard had serious concerns about her health because of her lifelong history of hereditary high cholesterol, as well as heart palpitations.
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“I felt hopeless then,” Leonard said.
Then a cardiologist at Yale Medicine prescribed Leonard weight loss drugs, first Ozempic then Wegovy.
“I lost 80 pounds altogether,” Leonard said.
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That was in a two-year timeframe, but Leonard experienced other benefits.
“It totally made all my cardiac symptoms disappear,” she said. “I never had numbers like this before. My palpitations were gone. Completely gone. I mean nothing like it, it was unbelievable to me. I felt so much better.”
Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a different cardiologist at Yale Medicine than the one that treated Leonard, said while these drugs were initially used to lower blood sugar for diabetes patients, medical research now indicates they have a broader impact.
“I think this is a terrific game changer,” Krumholz said. “New studies are showing that these drugs that are targeting obesity can have remarkable impact on cardiovascular risk. These are these are heart drugs now.”
A new study finds that semaglutide, with brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy, can lower the risk for heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death by 20% for some. That study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in November.
Another study by Yale researchers finds 6.6 million Americans are eligible to use these medications due to obesity, being overweight or cardiovascular disease.
“I think the focus now needs to be on understanding this is not about appearance, but about health, heart health in particular,” Krumholz said. “Also we need to work hard to make sure that people who can benefit from these meds can get access to them.”
However, Krumholz said access is not a reality for most Americans right now, due to a lack of insurance coverage, high cost and supply issues.
“We didn't have drugs to treat obesity for a long time,” he said. “Now we do.”
Along with a healthy lifestyle, Leonard plans to use the medications going forward.
“My husband even said to me, he's like, 'she gave me my wife probably for another 10 years,'” Leonard said.
Her heart symptoms are gone, giving her a new perspective on life.
“In the end, yes, the weight loss is great,” Leonard said. “But more importantly, my numbers are normal, and that is such a weight off of my chest, literally. That that's kind of what I'm so grateful for.”
NBC Connecticut reached out to the American Heart Association for comment on heart health benefits of weight loss medications. The Association responded with a statement, saying:
“Like many others, we are reviewing the decision at this time.”
