Top in cardiology: Wegovy tied to lower medical costs; race not necessary in MESA score

A real-world study of patients with overweight or obesity and heart failure demonstrated that initiation of semaglutide 2.4 mg corresponded with a mean total medical cost reduction of $6,512 during a 1-year follow-up period.

Study investigators observed reductions across health care settings, including inpatient, outpatient and ED settings.

“We have to remember that these results might not be generalizable to the broader population with heart failure, as patients initiating treatment with semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy, Novo Nordisk) tend to be younger than those with heart failure in the general population,” Wojciech Michalak, MSc, data scientist in health economics and outcomes research at Novo Nordisk, said during a presentation at ObesityWeek.

It was the top story in cardiology last week.

In another top story, researchers at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions reported that removing race/ethnicity from the MESA risk score did not change its effectiveness at predicting risk for heart disease.

Read these and more top stories in cardiology below:

Wegovy linked to real-world medical cost savings for people with obesity, heart failure

Semaglutide 2.4 mg was associated with reduced year-over-year health care costs, up to $6,500, among patients with overweight or obesity and heart failure, a speaker reported at ObesityWeek. Read more.

Removal of race from MESA score does not affect heart disease risk prediction

When race was removed from the MESA score, its ability to predict risk for heart disease did not change significantly, researchers reported at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions. Read more.

Heart pumps’ indication expanded to pediatric patients with HF, cardiogenic shock

Johnson & Johnson MedTech announced the FDA has approved an expanded indication and granted premarket approval for its heart pumps to treat pediatric patients with symptomatic acute decompensated HF and cardiogenic shock. Read more.

Millions of American adults face a 10% or higher risk for heart failure

As many as 15 million adults in the United States have a 10% or greater risk for heart failure, results of a research letter published in Annals of Internal Medicine showed. Read more.

Genetic risk for depression tied to heart disease risk for women, not men

Genetically predicted major depression may present in women, but not men, with increased risk for arrhythmia disorders, coronary artery disease and heart failure, and risk may vary based on menopausal status, researchers reported. Read more.