Weight-loss drug now approved in Canada to reduce risk of non-fatal heart attacks
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A drug used to help Canadians lose weight has now been approved to reduce the risk of non-fatal heart attacks.
Novo Nordisk Canada says in a news release Wednesday that Health Canada has given approval for the use of Wegovy – an antidiabetic injection – to lower the risk of myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, among adults with cardiovascular disease and those who are overweight or obese.
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This is the first drug approved in Canada that can be used for both weight loss and reducing the risks of heart attacks following clinical trials that began in 2018.
“Canadians living with obesity are at increased risk of heart attacks,” Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam, scientific director of Obesity Canada, said in a statement.
“We welcome expanded treatment options to support Canadians living with obesity and related complications. People deserve evidence-based care to proactively manage this disease, including medical nutrition therapy, psychological interventions, physical activity, pharmacotherapy and surgery.”
In Canada, nearly one in three people (30%) are obese, according to Statistics Canada’s 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey. That is up from just over one in five (21%) in 2003.
And, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Canadians living with obesity are more than twice as likely to have heart disease than those with a healthy weight.
Heart disease is the second leading cause of death – after cancer – and is a leading cause of hospitalization, according to Canada’s Public Health Agency.
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“We are very pleased that Wegovy is now approved in Canada to help people who are at risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction,” said Vince Lamanna, president of Novo Nordisk Canada Inc.
“Heart attacks have a profound impact on many families across our country. Wegovy is a clinically evaluated therapy that offers new hope for Canadians living with cardiovascular disease and obesity.”
Wegovy was first approved by Health Canada in 2021 for treating people with obesity.
According to the company, the most frequently reported adverse events were nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache and fatigue.
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