Cardiology Letters 2026, 35(1):17-22

Semaglutide in treatment of obesity and its cardiovascular benefits: evidence from clinical studies and guidelines of European Society of Cardiology

Tibor Harcsa

Kardiocentrum Nitra s.r.o., Špitálska 6, 949 01 Nitra, Slovenská republika

Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist originally developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, has recently been shown to reduce body weight and cardiovascular risk even in patients without diabetes. This review summarizes the available evidence on its metabolic and cardiovascular effects based on the key clinical trials SELECT, STEP HFpEF, and STEP 5, as well as its current position in the recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology. Semaglutide significantly reduces the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, improves symptoms and functional capacity in patients with HFpEF and obesity, and enables long-term maintenance of weight loss. It therefore represents an important therapeutic tool in the management of obesity in cardiology practice.

Keywords: semaglutide; obesity; cardiovascular disease; heart failure with preserved ejection fraction; chronic coronary syndromes

Published: January 1, 2026  Show citation