European Society of Cardiology
Semaglutide tied to reduced need for diuretics in patients with heart failure
Semaglutide is associated with reduced need for, and dose of, loop diuretic, and has positive effects on symptoms, physical limitations, and body weight in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) regardless of diuretic use. Results were presented last week at ESC’s Heart Failure 2024 scientific congress in Lisbon.
- STEP-HFpEF and STEP-HFpEF DM included a total of 1,145 patients from 18 countries in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Average age was ~70 years and ~50% were women. At baseline, 220 patients weren’t receiving diuretics, 223 were on non-loop diuretics only, and 702 were on loop diuretics.
- Semaglutide improved Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Clinical Summary Score (KCCQ-CSS) in all diuretic subgroups, but the magnitude of improvement was greater in patients receiving loop diuretics vs. those not on loop diuretics.
- Regarding percentage change in body weight from baseline to 52 weeks, semaglutide had consistent beneficial effects across diuretic use categories, with adjusted mean differences vs. placebo ranging from -8.8% to -6.9% from no diuretic use to the highest loop diuretic dose category.
- Between baseline and 52 weeks, loop diuretic dose decreased by 17% in the semaglutide group vs. a 2.4% increase in the placebo group (p<0.0001). Semaglutide was more likely to result in loop diuretic dose reduction and less likely to result in loop diuretic dose increase. The rate of serious adverse events was lower with semaglutide vs. placebo across diuretic subgroups.
Source:
European Society of Cardiology. (2024, May 13). Weight loss drug linked with reduced need for diuretics in heart failure patients. [Press release]. https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/Weight-loss-drug-linked-with-reduced-need-for-diuretics-in-heart-failure-patients