London: The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority of the United Kingdom has approved Wegovy, a well-known drug for weight loss, for use in the treatment of heart diseases.
According to media reports, the agency has said that the drug can also reduce the risk of serious heart problems in overweight people.
Vigovi contains a chemical called semaglutide that helps people with a body mass index (BMI) above 26 lose weight.
And now it has become the first drug prescribed for obesity to also be used to control heart attacks and strokes.
A trial of 17,600 people showed that weekly semaglutide injections for five years reduced cardiovascular disease by 20 percent.
The study, sponsored by pharma company Novo Nordisk, was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Shirley Hooper, deputy director of the regulatory agency, said the treatment is an important step toward preventing heart disease and stroke, as well as addressing the serious consequences of obesity.