Previous research shows that both obesityTrusted Source and cardiovascular diseaseTrusted Source can raise a person’s risk of developing kidney disease.
A recently published study found that semaglutideTrusted Source— the active ingredient in glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist medications Ozempic and Wegovy — may help reduce the progression of kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
Now, research recently presented at the 61st European Renal Association Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, reports semaglutide may also help protect kidney function in people who have overweight or obesity and also have established cardiovascular disease.
The research has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Semaglutide use lowers risk of adverse kidney-related events
This study’s results are from the SELECTTrusted Source (Semaglutide Effects on Heart Disease and Stroke in Patients with Overweight or Obesity) trial, which includes more than 17,000 participants.
After an average follow-up of about 3.5 years, scientists discovered that adverse kidney-related events — such as a significant decline in kidney function, death from kidney causes, or onset of persistent macroalbuminuria — were experienced by 22% fewer participants in the group receiving semaglutide injections compared to the placebo group.
“By addressing key markers of kidney health, semaglutide 2.4 mg [milligrams] weekly may contribute to a significant reduction in the risk of kidney-related complications, including chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease,” said Prof. Helen M. Colhoun, MD, the AXA Chair in Medical Informatics and Life Course Epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, United Kingdom, and lead author of this study, in a press release.
“This could lead to improved management of comorbidities and, ultimately, enhance the quality of life for individuals with obesity,” she suggested. Improved eGFR, UACR measurements with semaglutide use
Researchers examined how semaglutide might impact a person’s estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which measures how much waste and excess water the kidneys filter out of the blood through urine. Participants receiving semaglutide had a significantly lower decline in eGFR than those in the placebo group, indicating semaglutide’s potential kidney function protection in people with pre-existing kidney impairment.
