Wegovy (semaglutide): a new weight loss drug for chronic weight management

The global prevalence of overweight and obesity has nearly tripled since the 1970s, with close to 40% of adults now classified as overweight and 13% as obese. These numbers have shown a consistent upward trend over the years. Consequently, individuals with excess weight face an elevated risk of cardiovascular complications, which stand as the most common cause of death among people with obesity.
In addressing this pressing issue, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four medications for weight loss: phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia), orlistat (Xenical), naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave), and liraglutide (Saxenda). Another noteworthy addition to this list is Wegovy (semaglutide), a GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA), which gained FDA approval in 2021. Semaglutide not only demonstrated improvements in diabetes management and body weight reduction but also exhibited a capacity to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke among patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of cardiovascular disease. To comprehensively assess semaglutide's potential in combating obesity, it is essential to consider whether it achieves a clinically significant weight loss parameter, typically defined as a reduction of at least 5% in body weight. Numerous studies have indicated that a significant proportion of participants achieved a weight loss of at least 10% when compared to a placebo. Additionally, a notable advantage of semaglutide is its suitability for long-term weight management. For more detailed information, please refer to the provided link.