Discovering added benefits from some medications
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Discovering that something was invented for one purpose has unexpected benefits for a different use can be a nice surprise. Like the adhesive now used on Post-it notes was originally developed to be used on planes.
It's especially fortunate when it's a drug designed to treat something, and it also happens to have a larger benefit.
There have been drugs in the past meant for high blood pressure that turned out to help with ADHD and an Alzheimer's drug that helps with OCD. Now comes confirmation a weight loss drug can lower the risk of cardiac events.
Fighting weight is a battle waged on many fronts, and it becomes especially earnest after a cardiac event.
"The key takeaway is that for those who have had who have cardiovascular disease and have overweight and obesity, this may be an important new therapy to be added to the regimen," according to Dr. Michael Lincoff of Cleveland Clinic.
Cleveland Clinic study author Dr. Michael Lincoff says treating the heart was not the original purpose of semaglutide, the core of Wegovy, a high-dose version of the diabetes drug Ozempic, but when given to obese cardiac patients without diabetes, new results were discovered.
"Over the three-and-a-half-year period, we found that semaglutide reduces the risk of cardiovascular events by about 20%. So, highly significant."
Allegheny Health Network's head of cardiovascular medicine couldn't agree more.
"Whether it's due to the weight loss or due to the medication, that's a little bit uncertain, but this is proof that we can actually reduce cardiovascular outcomes in this very high-risk population," said Dr. Akshay Khandelwal.
Dr. Khandelwal says discovering a drug has multiple benefits is nothing new.
"That's been happening ever since the time of aspirin if not before, so that should not come as any surprise," he added.
But this comes on the heels of the FDA approving a new version of the diabetes drug Mounjaro, called Zepbound, to be used for weight loss.
"Obesity is the mother of all diseases and can cause heart diseases, diabetes and increased risk of cancers, so on and so forth," said Dr. George Eid of AHN.
Dr. Eid, the chair of AHN's Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, says the drugs are not a stand-alone solution.
"You have to use different angles. Medication [is] one, surgery [is] one, lifestyle [is] one, prevention is one, especially in our kids."
While the doctors are all borderline excited by the latest twists with the diabetes drugs helping elsewhere, they reemphasize that last point: it's only one element that can help extend your life.
Should someone hearing this say, 'I'm going to call my doctor and get this stuff'?
Yes, call your doctor. That's where the conversation begins.
Here's a number for you. The study shows if you give 66 at-risk people Wegovy, at least one of them will be saved from a serious heart event or even death.