The NHS has approved the use of Wegovy for preventing heart attacks and strokes in overweight and obese patients with certain cardiovascular conditions, according to multiple reports. The eligibility threshold for Wegovy on the NHS has been lowered from a BMI of 35 or over to a BMI of 27 or above for those who have had a heart attack, stroke, or suffer from circulation problems in their legs, as reported by major media. An estimated 1.2 million people in the UK could be impacted by this policy change, according to major media.
The rollout of Wegovy under the new NHS guidelines will begin this summer, according to multiple reports. Wegovy contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 drug that helps increase feelings of fullness and reduce appetite, as reported by major media. On average, people lose 21% of their body weight after 72 weeks on Wegovy, according to major media. It is a weekly injection, with dosage increased as the body adjusts, as reported by major media.
Experts warn that GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can reduce muscle mass as well as fat, and physical activity such as resistance training is important to counteract this, according to multiple reports.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new 7.2-milligram higher-dose version of Wegovy on Thursday, according to multiple reports. The new 7.2-milligram dose helped participants in a study lose about 19% of their body weight, compared to about 16% with the lower 2.4-milligram dose, according to multiple reports.
Side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and constipation were reported in more than 70% of those taking the higher 7.2-milligram dose of Wegovy, compared to more than 60% taking the lower dose, according to multiple reports. The new higher-dose Wegovy will be available in U.S. pharmacies in April, with price to be announced then, according to multiple reports. European drug regulators approved the higher-dose version of Wegovy in February, according to multiple reports.
A research project in Norway, Stabil-Nor, is investigating whether Wegovy has good effects on patients with psychotic disorders, including on cognitive abilities, as reported by major media. A Danish research project found that overweight schizophrenia patients benefited from weight-loss medication, with weight reduced by an average of 9 kg, but it had no significant effect on mental quality of life scores, according to major media. In Norway, patients typically have to pay for Wegovy themselves, costing around 2000 kroner per month, as reported by major media.