Ozempic, a type 2 diabetes drug best known for helping with weight loss, also has the ability to reduce the risk of complications from chronic kidney disease (CKD). The conclusion is based on a North American study, the results of which may change the way some doctors treat patients with CKD. The newspaper “New York Times.
The study involved more than 3,500 people with kidney disease and type 2 diabetes, about half of whom received weekly injections of semaglutide (the compound in Ozempic) and the other half received weekly injections of a placebo.
The researchers followed the participants for three and a half years and found that those taking semaglutide were 24% less likely to experience serious kidney disease, such as losing at least half of their kidney function, needing dialysis, or needing a kidney transplant. .
Patients treated with semaglutide were still much less likely to die from cardiovascular problems or any other causes, and they experienced a slower rate of decline in kidney function.
Chronic kidney disease affects 800 thousand people in Portugal. Because there is no cure and existing treatment attempts to delay the deterioration of kidney function, in many cases patients discover the disease only when it is already in an advanced stage.
The study’s findings are particularly promising for people with advanced kidney disease, the researchers said. “We can help people live longer,” said Vlado Perkovic, a kidney researcher at the University of New South Wales in Sydney and another author of the study.
Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Ozempic, funded the study and ended it early because of the results. A Novo Nordisk vice president said the company will ask the Food and Drug Administration to update Ozempic’s label to say it can also be used to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease. If the FDA approves it, it could further increase demand for Ozempic, which has been facing persistent shortages.
Despite the trial results, researchers cannot explain exactly how semaglutide helps the kidneys. One of the main messages is that semaglutide may reduce inflammation, which worsens kidney disease.
Author: morning Post
Source: CM Jornal
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