Weight loss drugs should be the first step to prevent heart disease, says top heart disease groups

Exercise and a clean diet are not always enough for heart health, the country’s top cardiology organization New Recommendations It was released on Friday. Weight loss drugs should be used before, and they will become part of the first lineage of obese patients, the group said.

Novo Nordisk a/s‘s wegovy and Eli Lilly & Co.According to new guidelines, zepbound should be considered when choosing first-line treatment to avoid heart disease, a major cause of death in the United States. Popular medicines are more effective than lifestyle changes and have less risk than surgery, the nonprofit medical association said.

“I’ve heard about the myriad positive effects that drugs have. Getting these kinds of props from the ACC is a big win,” Jared Holtz of Mizuho Securities wrote to his client in a note.

NOVO’s US listed stocks surged temporarily on Friday after new guidelines were released, cutting 1.1% at 11:22am in New York. Lily determined that the previous decline had fallen by 2.8%.

The ACC recommendation is a departure from previous recommendations advocating lifestyle modifications before obesity medication. Patients said there shouldn’t be a need to “try and fail” before taking powerful drugs that prove their ability to revolutionize weight loss and improve heart health. Olivia Gilbertcardiologist Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center led the work on the new guidelines.

She was candid saying the change was intended to affect insurance companies and federal programs that decide which prescription drugs to cover. Cardiologist support could lead to more patients accepting medication and broader coverage for Novo and Lilly’s drugs. Morgan Stanley Analyst He said, and headed towards Peak sales of $150 billion within 10 years.

The new guidelines may have public health and policy implications that may reduce the damage caused by heart disease. “It’s very exciting,” Gilbert said.

Still, according to Gilbert, people need to “absolutely” cancel gym memberships. The medication helps with weight loss and “if there’s something to increase physical activity,” she said. “They are meant to work in tandem.”

More than 40% of US adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Uncertainty regarding insurance coverage is an important barrier to treatment, and the ACC said there is a “continuous need to improve access to these treatments.”

According to new guidelines, doctors can determine who is eligible for treatment to prevent cardiac complications based on body mass index, calculations including weight and height, or other risk factors.

The link between obesity and heart health is not new, but patients should lose 10% of their weight to reduce cardiovascular risk and 15% to reduce related deaths, Gilbert said. Medication may be the best and most accessible way to get there, she said.

Many insurance companies don’t cover drugs that cost around $1,000 for a month’s supply without insurance, but consumers who buy directly with cash are available at a lower price. According to Gilbert, the new ACC guidance could affect negotiations between private insurers, Medicare and Medicaid, and the US government insurance program for the elderly and the poor. Most Medicare and Medicaid plans pay for weight loss medications for diabetics, but are currently not covered by obesity.

Last March, the Food and Drug Administration approved Novo Wegovi to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attacks and stroke in patients with overweight and heart disease, making it the first drug therapy for weight loss drugs approved to prevent potentially fatal heart problems. The agency has yet to clear Lily’s Zepbound to treat cardiovascular disease, but in a later study last year it reduced deaths from heart failure.

Lily welcomed the change and reinforced the importance of dealing with obesity early and effectively. Novo praised the ACC movement as reflecting “today’s treatment environment.”