New SELECT trial analysis with semaglutide 2.4 mg showed a significant reduction in hospital admissions in adults with known heart disease and obesity or overweight

Results from Novo Nordisk, presented at ObesityWeek®, showed treatment with semaglutide injection 2.4 mg resulted in significant reductions in hospital admissions as well as overall time spent in the hospital1
Cardiovascular disease represents the leading cause of death globally,2 and adults with obesity are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease3
The analysis is based on SELECT, a large cardiovascular outcomes trial that evaluated the effect of semaglutide 2.4 mg on the risk of MACE (heart attack, stroke, or death) in adults with overweight or obesity and known heart disease4

PLAINSBORO, N.J., Nov. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Novo Nordisk presented an exploratory post hoc analysis from the SELECT phase 3 cardiovascular outcomes trial that showed semaglutide 2.4 mg significantly reduced hospital admissions and overall length of hospital stay for adults with obesity or overweight with established cardiovascular disease (CVD) and without diabetes.1 The results were presented during an oral session at the annual ObesityWeek® conference and provide further insights based on data from SELECT– a large cardiovascular outcomes trial that evaluated the effect of semaglutide 2.4 mg on the risk of MACE (heart attack, stroke, or death) in this population.

CVD covers a wide range of conditions that, when combined, represent the leading cause of death globally and are associated with substantial healthcare costs.2,5 Obesity directly increases the risk of CVD, including heart attack and stroke, while also contributing to the progression of other cardiovascular (CV) risk factors including elevated blood pressure and cholesterol.3,5 Two in three patients with overweight or obesity die from CVD.6

“People with obesity or overweight with established cardiovascular disease (CVD) and without diabetes are more likely to be admitted to the hospital for events like heart attack or stroke, contributing to reduced patient well-being, higher use of healthcare resources, and disease burden,” said Dr. Steven E. Kahn, M.D., Ch.B., Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, VA Puget Sound Health Care System and University of Washington, Seattle. “In the SELECT trial, this cohort of patients had a high rate of hospital admissions, but for those given once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg, we observed significant reductions in hospital admissions and overall time they spent in the hospital. We are pleased to have this analysis that further examines the effects of semaglutide.”

According to this SELECT analysis, a lower percentage of patients taking semaglutide 2.4 mg experienced a first hospital admission for any indication versus placebo (33.4 vs 36.7%, hazard ratio [HR] 0.89 [0.84, 0.93], p