AHA: Half of U.S. Adults Are Eligible for Treatment With Semaglutide
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2024 -- More than half of all U.S. adults are eligible for semaglutide therapy, according to a research letter published online Nov. 18 in JAMA Cardiology to coincide with the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2024, held from Nov. 16 to 18 in Chicago.
Ivy Shi, M.D., from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and colleagues used data from 25,531 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2015 to March 2020) to quantify the number of U.S. adults eligible for semaglutide. Eligibility criteria included: (1) diabetes; (2) weight management (body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m2 or BMI ≥27 kg/m2 with a weight-related comorbidity [hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or history of myocardial infarction or stroke]); and (3) secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD; aged 45 years or older, BMI ≥27 kg/m2, and a history of myocardial infarction or stroke).
The researchers found that semaglutide was indicated for an estimated 35.0 million adults for diabetes management, 129.2 million adults for weight management, and 8.9 million adults for secondary prevention of CVD. Of the 39.3 million U.S. adults eligible for semaglutide for diabetes or secondary prevention of CVD, 13.0 million were insured by Medicare and 4.7 million were insured by Medicaid.
"Efforts to increase equitable uptake should be coupled with strategies to ensure that the cost of semaglutide is commensurate with the value of the health benefits it produces," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted November 2024
Read this next
Weight Loss Continues Five Years After Tummy Tucks
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- Patients undergoing abdominoplasty experience continued weight loss up to five years postoperatively, according to a study published in the July issue...
2011 to 2023 Saw Increase in Prevalence of Obesity Among Children
WEDNESDAY, July 2, 2025 -- The prevalence of obesity increased among children and adolescents from 2011 to 2023, with the increase most pronounced among Black youths, according to...
Obesity Linked to Financial Hardship, Food Insecurity
WEDNESDAY, July 2, 2025 -- Obesity is associated with financial hardship and food insecurity, according to a research letter published online June 24 in the Annals of Internal...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.