JAMA Cardiol

Semaglutide linked to reduced hospitalizations for overweight/obese patients with cardiovascular disease

December 30, 2025

Semaglutide 2.4 mg subcutaneously once weekly was linked to significant reductions in inpatient days and hospitalizations—for any reason—compared with placebo, according to this analysis of SELECT trial data.

The international, randomized SELECT trial (NCT03574597) included 17,604 adults without diabetes aged 45+ years (median age, 61 years; female, 28%) with established cardiovascular disease and BMI 27+, from 2018 to 2021 with median follow-up of 42 months. The number of hospitalizations for any reason were lower in the semaglutide arm vs. the placebo arm (18 vs. 20 per 100 patient-years, p<0.001). Hospital days were also lower with semaglutide (157 vs. 176 per 100 patient-years; p=0.01).

Source:

Nicholls SJ, et al; SELECT Trial Investigators. (2025, December 23). JAMA Cardiol. Semaglutide and Hospitalizations in Patients With Obesity and Established Cardiovascular Disease: An Exploratory Analysis of the SELECT Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41433034/