Semaglutide Cuts Hospital Stays in Heart Disease Patients

What This Study Found

Researchers analyzed data from the large SELECT trial to see whether semaglutide — the active ingredient in Wegovy — affected how often patients ended up in hospital. The results were encouraging: people taking semaglutide were hospitalized significantly less often and spent fewer days in hospital compared to those taking a placebo (dummy injection).

Who Was Studied

The trial included 17,604 adults aged 45 and older who had established cardiovascular (heart) disease and were overweight or obese (BMI 27 or higher). Importantly, none of the participants had diabetes. They were followed for an average of nearly 3.5 years across 804 clinics worldwide.

Key Results

Overall, there were more than 11,000 hospital admissions during the study. Compared to placebo, patients taking semaglutide had:

• A 10% reduction in total hospital admissions (18.3 vs 20.4 admissions per 100 patient-years)
• A 10% reduction in days spent in hospital (157 vs 176 days per 100 patient-years)
• Similar reductions specifically for serious medical events requiring admission

These benefits were consistent across different ages, sexes, and BMI levels — meaning the drug appeared to help broadly, not just in specific groups.

Why This Matters

We already knew from the main SELECT trial results that semaglutide reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death. This new analysis adds to that picture by showing the drug also keeps people out of hospital more generally — which means better quality of life and potentially lower healthcare costs.

Important Context

This was an exploratory analysis, meaning it was a deeper look at existing trial data rather than the primary goal of the study. Semaglutide (Wegovy) is currently approved for weight management and, in its lower-dose form (Ozempic), for type 2 diabetes. Always speak with your doctor before starting or changing any medication.