Health Canada approves Novo Nordisk's obesity drug to reduce risk of non-fatal heart attack

Health Canada has approved Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy to reduce the risk of a non-fatal heart attack, the drugmaker says.

Novo Nordisk said Wednesday that Wegovy is the first treatment approved by Health Canada for both chronic weight management and to reduce the risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction.

The treatment reduces the risk of such events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and a body mass index equal to or greater than 27 kilograms per square meter, according to Health Canada's approval message

In Canada, heart disease is the second leading cause of death after cancer and one of the leading causes of hospital admissions.

Dr. Jacob Udell, a cardiologist at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, called the approval big news “that will hopefully lead to more people receiving the drug as part of appropriate care for their heart disease if someone is also obese or overweight.”

Udell said the most important next phase is for public and private insurers to cover the costs “and for us as a society to figure out how we're going to cover their costs.”

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Claims for the diabetes drug Ozempic have made an astronomical jump in Saskatchewan, and government figures show many claims are not for type 2 diabetes. Some users and advocacy groups are calling for more attention to be paid to weight-loss drugs to combat obesity.

As with any medication, there are warnings to keep in mind, according to Udell.

“These medications should be initiated under the supervision of a trained physician who understands how to prescribe the drug and monitor response to therapy,” he said in an email. “There are known side effects that should be monitored and [the] dose adjusted accordingly.”

The Healthcare regulator of the European Union recently endorsed the drug for reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events and stroke in overweight or obese adults without diabetes.

Wegovy is also approved in the UK and US to lower the risk of serious heart problems or stroke in overweight and obese adults.

The drug, known chemically as semaglutide, has been approved in Canada as of 2021 to treat obesity.

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