Most people know Wegovy as a weight loss treatment. But what many don't realise is that, for some people, Wegovy injections can also help protect their heart.
Wegovy is the first prescription weight loss medicine shown to directly reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events in a large clinical trial (1). In this blog, we'll explain who this benefit applies to, what the research found, and what other benefits Wegovy injections can deliver beyond weight loss.
Learn more about Wegovy injections or click here to start an online weight loss consultation.
Please note: The cardiovascular indication discussed in this article applies to Wegovy injections only. It does not currently apply to the Wegovy tablet.
In this article:
What evidence is there that Wegovy reduces cardiovascular risk?
Why does Wegovy reduce cardiovascular risk?
Does everyone taking Wegovy get cardiovascular benefits?
Can Wegovy replace medications for cardiovascular disease?
Are there any other health benefits of Wegovy?
What does this mean if you’re considering Wegovy?
What evidence is there that Wegovy reduces cardiovascular risk?
Before Wegovy could be licensed to reduce cardiovascular risk, researchers first had to show that it genuinely reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke.
That's exactly what researchers wanted to find out in the SELECT trial, one of the largest obesity studies ever carried out. The trial followed more than 17,600 adults who had cardiovascular disease and were overweight or obese. Half were given Wegovy injections and half received a placebo (1).
Researchers found that people taking 2.4mg Wegovy once weekly had a 20% lower risk of experiencing a serious cardiovascular event, including a heart attack, stroke, or death from cardiovascular disease, than those taking the placebo (1).
The results were so convincing that Wegovy injections became licensed in the UK to reduce cardiovascular risk in eligible patients (2).
Why does Wegovy reduce cardiovascular risk?
Losing weight is one of the best things you can do for your cardiovascular health (3). If you’re overweight, carrying even 5% less excess weight can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, help control blood sugar and reduce the strain placed on your heart.
Because Wegovy helps people lose weight, this is likely to be a major reason for its cardiovascular benefits. However, what Wegovy does in the body goes beyond supporting weight loss. Researchers believe its active ingredient, Semaglutide, may also (4-6):
Reduce inflammation throughout the body
Improve blood sugar control
Help blood vessels work more effectively
Scientists are still working to understand exactly how these effects fit together, but Wegovy's heart health benefits likely come from a combination of weight loss and these additional effects on the body.
Does everyone taking Wegovy get cardiovascular benefits?
At the moment, the licensed cardiovascular benefit applies to adults who (2):
Already have cardiovascular disease, such as a previous heart attack or stroke
Have a BMI of 27 or above
Are living with obesity or considered overweight
This doesn't mean Wegovy can't improve the heart health of other people who lose weight while on treatment. Losing excess weight often has positive effects on the heart (3). But the proven reduction in heart attacks and strokes has only been demonstrated in people who meet the criteria above.
The cardiovascular benefits of Wegovy are also based on the standard dosing schedule used in the SELECT trial, where treatment is gradually increased up to 2.4mg. In real life, not everyone will reach or stay on this dose, while others will increase to Wegovy 7.2mg.
Whether different maintenance doses provide the same level of cardiovascular protection isn't yet known. Finding the right Wegovy dose depends on your progress and how you tolerate treatment.
Can Wegovy replace medications for cardiovascular disease?
No. Wegovy is not a replacement for medicines that treat or protect against heart disease, such as statins, blood pressure tablets or blood-thinning medication.
In the SELECT trial, participants continued taking their usual cardiovascular medicines throughout the study. Wegovy was used alongside these treatments, with the aim of reducing the risk of future heart attacks and strokes even further.
If you're prescribed medication for cardiovascular disease, you should continue taking it unless your doctor advises otherwise. Wegovy should be viewed as one part of an overall treatment plan that may also include heart medication and other healthy lifestyle changes.
Are there any other health benefits of Wegovy?
According to current research, yes. Researchers have also observed several other potential health benefits that are still being studied, such as (5-7):
A lower risk of developing diabetes. Wegovy isn't licensed to treat diabetes, but it may benefit people who have prediabetes. In the STEP 1 trial, 84.1% of people with prediabetes saw their blood sugar levels return to normal after 68 weeks of Wegovy treatment.
Lower blood pressure. Blood pressure often improves as people lose weight. In the STEP 1 trial, people taking Wegovy saw their top (systolic) blood pressure fall by an average of 6.16 mmHg, compared with 1.06 mmHg in those taking a placebo after 68 weeks.
Improvements in fatty liver disease. In the ESSENCE trial, 62.9% of people saw a major improvement in liver inflammation after 72 weeks, compared with 34.3% taking a placebo. Liver scarring also improved in more than a third of people on Wegovy.
Better mobility and quality of life. In the STEP 1 trial, people taking Wegovy injections reported improvements in “physical functioning.” This includes finding it easier to climb stairs, walk longer distances, exercise and carry out everyday tasks.
While these findings are hopeful, more research is needed before Wegovy can be officially approved for these uses. For now, reducing cardiovascular risk remains the only additional licensed benefit of Wegovy injections beyond losing weight.
What does this mean if you’re considering Wegovy?
Most people start taking Wegovy to lose weight. But if you also have cardiovascular disease, its ability to protect the heart may be another reason to choose Wegovy injections. It’s not a substitute for lifestyle changes or your usual medication, but another way to lower cardiovascular risk.
If you're considering Wegovy injections, our clinicians can assess your medical history during an online consultation and recommend the most appropriate treatment for your needs.
Learn more about Wegovy injections or click here to start an online weight loss consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Does Wegovy reduce the risk of heart attack?
Yes, for some people. In the SELECT trial, Wegovy injections reduced the overall risk of heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular disease by 20% in adults who already had cardiovascular disease and were overweight or obese (1).
Does everyone taking Wegovy receive heart benefits?
Not necessarily. Losing weight can improve heart health for many people, but the proven reduction in heart attacks and strokes has only been shown in people who already had cardiovascular disease. Research is still needed to see whether the same level of benefit applies to other groups.
Is Wegovy's cardiovascular benefit just because people lose weight?
Weight loss is almost certainly part of the reason, but it doesn't appear to be the whole story. Researchers think Semaglutide may also improve blood sugar control, reduce inflammation and support healthier blood vessels, all of which could help protect the heart.
Does the Wegovy tablet have the same heart benefits?
We don’t know yet. Studies into heart health benefits used Wegovy injections, so that's the version licensed for cardiovascular risk reduction. More research is needed before the same claim can be made for the Wegovy tablet, which may sway whether the Wegovy pill or injection suits you best.
Can I stop taking my heart medication if I start Wegovy?
No. Wegovy is designed to work alongside other cardiovascular treatments, not replace them. If you're prescribed medicines such as statins or blood pressure tablets, you should continue taking them unless your doctor advises otherwise.
How long does it take for Wegovy to protect your heart?
There's no single point at which Wegovy starts protecting your heart. Although Wegovy starts working soon after treatment begins, different benefits appear at different times, with heart health improvements often taking longer than appetite changes or weight loss.
References
A. Michael Lincoff, Kirstine Brown‐Frandsen, Colhoun HM, Deanfield J, Emerson SS, Sille Esbjerg, et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes. The New England Journal of Medicine [Internet]. 2023 Nov 11 [cited 2026 July 26];389(24).
MHRA. MHRA approves GLP –1 receptor agonist semaglutide to reduce risk of serious heart problems in obese or overweight adults [Internet]. GOV.UK. 2024 July [cited 2026 July 26].
NHS. Tips to help you lose weight [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2023 June [cited 2026 July 26].
Habib Yaribeygi, Maleki M, Tannaz Jamialahmadi, Amirhossein Sahebkar. Anti-inflammatory benefits of semaglutide: State of the art. Journal of clinical & translational endocrinology [Internet]. 2024 June 1 [cited 2026 July 26];36:100340–0. Available from:
Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine [Internet]. 2021 Feb 10 [cited 2026 July 26];384(11):989–1002.
Eisa N, Barood O. Semaglutide Beyond Diabetes and Obesity: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Multisystem Therapeutic Benefits. Endocrine Practice: Official journal of the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists [Internet]. 2026 Apr [cited 2026 July 26];32(4):623–35.
Sanyal AJ, Newsome PN, Kliers I, Østergaard LH, Long MT, Kjær MS, et al. Phase 3 Trial of Semaglutide in Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatohepatitis. New England Journal of Medicine. 2025 Apr 30;392(21).