Wegovy (Semaglutide) Approved by FDA to Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes in Adults Who Are Overweight or Have Obesity

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the weight loss drug Wegovy (semaglutide) for reducing the risk of cardiovascular death, heart disease, and stroke in adults who are overweight or have obesity. The agency says the injectable medicine should be used “in addition to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.”

“This patient population has a higher risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, and stroke. Providing a treatment option that is proven to lower this cardiovascular risk is a major advance for public health,” he added.

Wegovy, which has the same active ingredient as the type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic, was already approved by the FDA in 2021 for weight loss in overweight or obese adults who have at least one other weight-related condition, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol.

In a closely watched late-stage clinical trial published in November 2023, Wegovy reduced the risk of heart-disease-related death, heart attack, and stroke by 20 percent in overweight or obese adults with heart disease compared with a placebo.