- Ozempic® reduces heart attack, stroke, and death risk by 23% compared to dulaglutide in a study of 58,336 US Medicare patients.
- The study involved patients aged ≥66 years with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
- Ozempic® also showed a 26% lower risk of death and a 25% reduction in major cardiovascular events.
- Results were presented at the EASD 2025 Annual Meeting in Vienna.
Study Overview
Novo Nordisk's REACH real-world study compared Ozempic® (semaglutide) and dulaglutide in reducing cardiovascular risks among US Medicare patients aged 66 and older with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The study involved 58,336 patients, equally divided between the two treatments.
Key Findings
Ozempic® was associated with a 23% reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke, compared to dulaglutide. Additionally, Ozempic® showed a 26% lower risk of death and a 25% reduction in the risk of heart attack, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina or heart failure, and death from any cause.
Significance
This study is the first to directly compare these glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications in a real-world setting, addressing a critical gap in understanding their effects on heart health in older patients. The findings support informed treatment decisions and health policies for this demographic.
Presentation
The results were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) 2025 Annual Meeting in Vienna, Austria, highlighting the importance of real-world evidence in evaluating the effectiveness of diabetes treatments.
