Semaglutide 2.4 mg Reduces Need for Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Medications in Obesity Treatment: Study Finds
USA: A recent analysis of five randomized controlled trials from the STEP program found that adults using semaglutide for obesity were more likely to reduce or discontinue antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications than those receiving a placebo. Notably, there were significant differences in medication adjustments between the groups, with semaglutide users demonstrating greater reductions.
The findings were published online in Obesity: A Research Journal on January 5, 2025.
The researchers note that semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, is widely used for weight management and has been associated with improvements in multiple metabolic parameters. The observed reduction in antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medication use aligns with the known effects of significant weight loss on blood pressure and lipid profiles. They suggest that by facilitating treatment intensity reduction or discontinuation, semaglutide may offer an additional advantage in simplifying medication regimens for individuals with obesity-related cardiometabolic conditions.
Against the above background, Beverly G. Tchang, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA, and colleagues aimed to evaluate changes in antihypertensive and lipid-lowering treatment among participants receiving semaglutide 2.4 mg compared to placebo. They analyzed pooled data from five Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with Obesity (STEP) trials.
For this purpose, the researchers assessed the efficacy and safety of semaglutide 2.4 mg in the STEP clinical trials. In this post hoc analysis, data from STEP 1, 3, 6, and 8—comprising individuals with overweight or obesity—were pooled separately from STEP 2 and 6, which included those with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes. The analysis focused on evaluating changes in antihypertensive and lipid-lowering treatment intensity from randomization to the end of treatment.
The following were the key findings:
- A higher proportion of participants in the semaglutide 2.4 mg group experienced a reduction in antihypertensive or lipid-lowering treatment intensity by the end of treatment compared to the placebo group.
- Fewer participants in the semaglutide 2.4 mg group required intensification of antihypertensive or lipid-lowering treatment by the end of treatment compared to those on placebo.
- Among participants receiving antihypertensive or lipid-lowering medications, the semaglutide 2.4 mg group showed greater numeric reductions in body weight than the placebo group.
"This study reinforces the link between obesity treatment and improvements in hypertension and dyslipidemia. It found that using semaglutide 2.4 mg for weight management was associated with a reduced need for antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications. This could help patients lower their dosage, discontinue treatment, or avoid treatment intensification," the researchers wrote.
"The findings highlight the benefits of semaglutide 2.4 mg beyond weight loss, offering broader health advantages for individuals with overweight or obesity, with or without type 2 diabetes," they concluded.
Reference:
Tchang, B. G., Knight, M. G., Adelborg, K., Clements, J. N., Iversen, A. T., & Traina, A. (2025). Effect of semaglutide 2.4 mg on use of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering treatment in five randomized controlled STEP trials. Obesity, 33(2), 267-277. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.24202
