Weight-loss and diabetes medication tirzepatide is shown to decrease the chances of death or worsening heart failure in patients dealing with obesity and heart failure with preserved pump function, according to new research from UVA Health.
Research from UVA Health indicates that tirzepatide, used for weight loss and managing diabetes, may lower the risk of death or worsening heart failure in individuals with heart failure, preserved heart pump function, and obesity.
This medication, developed by Eli Lilly and Co., was evaluated in the SUMMIT clinical trial, which took place at 146 locations both in the U.S. and internationally. The trial included 731 participants, all diagnosed with diastolic heart failure and having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above. These participants were randomly assigned to receive either tirzepatide injections or a harmless placebo. Researchers monitored the participants for an average of two years.
Throughout this period, 56 individuals who received the placebo experienced either death or worse heart failure symptoms, while only 36 who were treated with tirzepatide faced the same fate. Additionally, those on tirzepatide had greater weight loss, shedding an average of 11.6% of their body weight.
Dr. Christopher Kramer, head of UVA Health’s Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, stated, “This class of medications continues to demonstrate advantages that go beyond just weight loss. This drug is poised to be an essential option for patients dealing with obesity-related heart failure and preserved heart function.”
Understanding Obesity and Heart Failure
Diastolic heart failure, also referred to as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, occurs when the left ventricle of the heart becomes stiff and unable to pump blood effectively. This condition accounts for nearly half of all heart failure instances. (Heart disease is the primary cause of death in the U.S., accounting for one in five fatalities, with a death occurring every 33 seconds.)
As obesity significantly contributes to heart failure, Dr. Kramer and his fellow researchers in the SUMMIT trial aimed to evaluate if the approved weight-loss drug tirzepatide could offer relief.
The study revealed that tirzepatide greatly helped in managing diastolic heart failure, leading to fewer deaths, reduced hospital visits, and overall improvement in health and quality of life among participants. For instance, those taking the medication noted enhanced walking distances over six minutes and significant reductions in inflammation markers that predict serious cardiovascular issues.
Some side effects associated with tirzepatide included mild to moderate gastrointestinal problems like nausea and diarrhea, as reported by the researchers at the American Heart Association meeting in Chicago on Saturday.
A Deeper Insight
Dr. Kramer, who specializes in cardiovascular imaging, also conducted a magnetic resonance imaging substudy to examine how tirzepatide, marketed under the name Zepbound, influenced heart structure and function in participants. The findings indicated helpful decreases in both the left ventricular mass (the heart’s weight) and the amount of fat surrounding the heart. The decrease in left ventricular mass was linked to weight loss and a reduction in left ventricular volume.
Dr. Kramer remarked, “This medication is reversing the adverse effects on the heart caused by obesity. These drugs offer much more than simply facilitating weight loss.”
The outcomes from these research studies conducted by Dr. Kramer and his team are being published concurrently at the American Heart Association meeting in Chicago, appearing in four distinct journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Medicine, Circulation, and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The phase 3 SUMMIT trial received sponsorship from Eli Lilly.
