A recent study has shed light on a weight loss drug, Zepbound (tirzepatide), revealing additional health benefits beyond weight loss and diabetes control. The results indicate that this drug could also be an effective tool to combat hypertension, offering a new perspective in the fight against cardiometabolic complications associated with obesity.
The research, published in the journal Hypertension on February 5, was led by Dr. James de Lemos, chair of cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Contrary to initial expectations focused on weight loss, the study highlighted the striking reduction in systolic blood pressure in patients receiving tirzepatide.
Tirzepatide works by mimicking two hormones in the body that regulate insulin secretion and sensitivity after meals. In addition to its known effects on slowing digestion, reducing appetite, and regulating blood sugar levels, the drug now shows an unexpected connection to improving blood pressure.
The study involved 600 adults with obesity, who were assigned to take a placebo or different doses of tirzepatide for 36 weeks. The results revealed significant reductions in systolic blood pressure, the highest number in a blood pressure reading, in the groups receiving 5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg of tirzepatide.
Dr. de Lemos commented on the relevance of these findings, noting that the lowest blood pressure measurements observed with tirzepatide rivaled those of many hypertension medications. However, the need for more research was emphasized to determine whether the blood pressure reduction is due to the medication itself or to the participants’ weight loss.
Dr. Michael Hall, professor of medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, who was not involved in the study, expressed optimism about these results, saying that the new weight-loss drugs are not only effective in reducing body weight, but also to improve various cardiometabolic complications of obesity.
Despite these promising findings, they highlighted the need for further studies to evaluate the long-term impact of Zepbound on cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and heart failure. Furthermore, it raises the crucial question of what happens to blood pressure when tirzepatide is stopped.
The study, funded by Eli Lilly and Co., the maker of tirzepatide, highlights the importance of continuing to explore treatments that not only address obesity but also mitigate heart-related complications. These advances could offer hope to millions of people struggling with obesity and cardiovascular disease by providing new strategies to reduce the risk of cardiac events.
In the United States, obesity remains a public health concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With approximately 42.4% of American adults considered obese, this health epidemic represents a persistent challenge. Obesity is not only linked to physical health problems, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, but it also has significant consequences on quality of life and health care system costs.
The CDC highlights that obesity disproportionately affects certain demographic groups and communities, exacerbating health disparities. Lack of access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity, as well as socioeconomic factors, contribute to this crisis. Furthermore, obesity in childhood presents an alarming risk, as it can persist into adulthood.
In this context, the discovery that Zepbound not only addresses weight loss, but also blood pressure, could represent a crucial advance in the fight against obesity in the United States. These findings could motivate research into comprehensive approaches that address not only obesity itself, but also its related complications, offering a promising perspective in the search for effective solutions to this growing public health crisis.
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