Oral semaglutide lowers major heart risks in type 2 diabetes, as per The New England Journal of Medicine

Novo Nordisk has shared the full results from its SOUL clinical trial, showing that oral semaglutide can lower the risk of major heart problems in people with type 2 diabetes who also have heart disease or kidney disease. The results were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in Chicago and were also published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The SOUL trial found that oral semaglutide helped reduce the risk of serious heart problems like heart attack, stroke and death from heart disease by 14 per cent when compared to a placebo. As per The New England Journal of Medicine, the medicine lowered the chance of a non-fatal heart attack by 26 per cent, a non-fatal stroke by 12 per cent, and heart-related death by 7 per cent. Among participants from Asian countries, the reduction in heart risk was even greater at 27 per cent.

Experts from Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre, said, “This is a major step forward in treating people with type 2 diabetes. Oral semaglutide not only helps manage blood sugar but also protects the heart. This makes it an excellent choice for people with high heart risk.”

An important part of the trial showed that people benefited from oral semaglutide whether or not they were already taking another type of diabetes medicine called SGLT2 inhibitors. This shows that the medicine works well with other treatments and offers a complete approach to managing type 2 diabetes.

Experts from G D Hospital and Diabetes Institute in Kolkata, highlighted, “Oral semaglutide should be considered early for people at high risk of heart problems. It is more than just a sugar-lowering medicine. It helps protect the heart too.”

The safety of oral semaglutide was also studied in the trial. As per The New England Journal of Medicine, the medicine had no new safety concerns and its safety profile remained consistent with previous studies. The medicine has already been used safely by people around the world, with data covering over 33 million patient-years.

Novo Nordisk has now applied for approval to update the label for oral semaglutide in the US and Europe. A decision from the regulatory bodies is expected in 2025.

Experts from Novo Nordisk stated that the company is focused on helping people with a wider range of health problems related to metabolism and heart health. He added that oral semaglutide shows strong benefits and supports a more complete way to care for people with diabetes and heart disease.

These findings bring hope to millions of people with type 2 diabetes. The new data shows that one medicine can help manage blood sugar and reduce the risk of heart problems, offering a safer and better future for diabetes care.