Is Wegovy Good for Heart Health? What to Know About Semaglutide’s Cardiovascular Benefits

Wegovy (semaglutide) is best known as a powerful weight-loss medication. But its benefits go well beyond the number on the scale. The active ingredient semaglutide has been shown to lower the risk of serious heart problems — heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death. 

This matters because, for some people with larger bodies, having extra body weight can strain the heart and increase the risk of heart disease. In this case, even a small amount of weight loss can have heart-related benefits. 

People with Type 2 diabetes also face a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, even when their weight isn’t very high. Managing blood sugar, blood pressure, and body weight all play a role in lowering the risk of major heart events. But if lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough, weight-loss or diabetes medications can be useful tools. 

Semaglutide stands out as a weight-loss medication because of its impact on heart health. Notably, its cardiovascular benefits don’t appear to come from weight loss or blood sugar control alone: Improvements have been seen within months of starting treatment.

Here’s what the science says about why Wegovy is good for heart health, as well as who may benefit most from taking it.

Is Wegovy good for heart health?

Yes — for some people, it can be. Wegovy is best known as a weight-loss medication. But it’s also the first weight-loss medication of its kind approved to lower the risk of serious cardiovascular problems. Specifically, it has proven heart benefits for adults with heart disease who are considered overweight or obese (based on body mass index, or BMI).

Disclosure

Sponsored copay cardSubject to eligibility

Wegovy

Avg retail price

$1,641.55(Save 98.48%)

Copay card

$25.00

See all discounts

How it works

Use GoodRx to find medications, pharmacies, and discounts.

GoodRx discounts can help you pay less for your prescription.

Bring your free coupon or savings card to the pharmacy.

The cardiovascular approval for injectable Wegovy was based on the SELECT trial, which followed over 17,000 people for 5 years. It found that Wegovy lowered the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events — known as MACE, with examples being heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death — by 20% compared to placebo (an injection without medication).

Importantly, a follow-up analysis from the trial showed that these heart benefits began within 3 to 6 months of starting treatment, before most people had lost a meaningful amount of weight. This suggests that Wegovy’s heart benefits aren’t just a result of weight loss.

What about oral Wegovy?

Like the injection, the Wegovy pill is also approved to lower the risk of MACE in people with a larger body size and heart disease. This approval was supported by studies of injectable Wegovy.

Clinical trial results (the OASIS-4 study) with oral Wegovy have also shown comparable improvements in several cardiovascular risk factors. 

Beyond heart attacks and strokes

Wegovy may also benefit adults with a larger body size and a specific type of heart failure where the heart doesn’t fill properly, known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In clinical trials, Wegovy improved heart failure symptoms and physical function in people with and without diabetes. It also lowered the risk of cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure. Wegovy isn’t currently approved for heart failure, but it could be in the near future.

Other forms of semaglutide benefit the heart too

Semaglutide’s heart-protective effects aren’t limited to Wegovy. Other versions of the medication (Ozempic and Rybelsus) have also shown cardiovascular benefits in people with Type 2 diabetes.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• Thinking beyond weight loss? Learn how semaglutide — the active agent in Wegovy — is being used beyond weight management for kidney disease, heart disease, and liver disease.

• How do Wegovy pills and injections compare for heart health? Compare Wegovy pills and injections — both FDA approved to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, and death).

• Find ways to save on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs. Get tips and cost-saving strategies for Wegovy and other similar medications.

Ozempic heart benefits

In the SUSTAIN-6 trial, Ozempic significantly lowered the risk of MACE in adults with Type 2 diabetes and established heart disease by over 25%, compared to placebo. Along with the LEADER trial, this was one of the first major studies to show that a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medication could improve not just blood sugar but also long-term heart outcomes.

Based on these findings, Ozempic is approved to lower the risk of MACE in adults with Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Rybelsus heart benefits

More recently, the SOUL trial showed that the semaglutide pill, Rybelsus, may also have heart-protective benefits. Researchers tested Rybelsus in a similar high-risk group (people with Type 2 diabetes with heart or kidney disease). Over about 4 years, the group taking Rybelsus had almost a 15% lower risk of major cardiovascular events compared to placebo.

Based on these findings, Rybelsus is approved to lower the risk of MACE in adults with Type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for these events. 

How does semaglutide help the heart?

Researchers are still learning exactly how semaglutide supports heart health. But its benefits likely go beyond weight loss alone. That’s because cardiovascular benefits have been seen early in treatment before significant weight loss occurs. 

In addition to weight loss, semaglutide may support cardiovascular health in the following ways:

• Improving blood glucose (sugar) levels

• Lowering inflammation throughout the body

• Improving blood flow, such as in the brain

• Making platelets (blood clotting cells) less likely to stick together

• Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol

In this way, semaglutide stands out because these heart-protective effects haven't been confirmed with all GLP-1 weight-loss medications. 

Who could benefit from Wegovy for heart health?

Wegovy may benefit several groups of people who are considered overweight or obese (based on BMI), especially when heart health is a concern:

• Adults with heart disease: Wegovy has proven cardiovascular benefits in this group. It can also help you meet your personal body weight goals.

• Adults with heart disease risk factors: If you have heart disease risk factors, like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, it’s likely Wegovy can improve your heart health. It’s not yet approved for use in people without heart disease, but that could change. 

• Teens ages 12 and older with a larger body size: Adolescents weren’t included in the SELECT and OASIS-4 trials. There’s evidence that they do see heart health benefits while using injectable Wegovy. These benefits may include reductions in body weight and waist size, hemoglobin A1C (average blood sugar over 3 months), and cholesterol levels. But Wegovy isn’t approved to reduce cardiovascular risk in adolescents yet, and more research is needed to understand long-term heart outcomes in this age group.

Keep in mind that Wegovy doesn’t work for everyone. It’s also meant to be used long term, and the ongoing cost can be a barrier to accessing and staying on the medication. If you stop Wegovy, people often regain some of the weight they’ve lost. And you may lose some of the cardiovascular benefits too.

Talk to your healthcare team to see if Wegovy fits into your overall treatment plan and long-term health goals.

If you have Type 2 diabetes, other semaglutide medications like Ozempic or Rybelsus may be a better option for you. 

Are there any side effects when taking Wegovy for heart health?

Wegovy injections and pills can cause side effects like: 

• Mild stomach upset that eases after a few weeks and includes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or bloating

• Less common but more serious risks, like pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney damage, gastroparesis (stomach paralysis), and intestinal blockage

Is Wegovy safe for your heart?

Yes, Wegovy is generally safe for the heart, and it’s even approved to help lower the risk of serious cardiovascular problems in certain people. 

But medications like Wegovy aren’t safe for everyone. You shouldn’t take semaglutide if you’re pregnant, nursing, or planning to become pregnant. 

You also shouldn’t take semaglutide if you have or have ever had:

• Medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2), or if anyone in your family has had it

• Pancreatitis

• Serious allergic reactions to ingredients

• Severe digestive issues

Your healthcare team can review your medical history to determine if Wegovy is a safe option for you.

Frequently asked questions

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD

Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD, is the director of pharmacy content for GoodRx. She has over a decade of experience as a pharmacist and has worked in clinical, academic, and administrative roles.

Edited by:

Sophie Vergnaud, MD

Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is the Senior Medical Director for GoodRx Health. A pulmonologist and hospitalist, she practiced and taught clinical medicine at hospitals in London for a decade before entering a career in health education and technology.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts