Semaglutide Heart: How Common, How Long It Lasts, What Helps
The semaglutide labels name heart rate as a reported side effect but give no trial rate for it.
- In the label
- Listed, no rate given
- Label term
- heart rate
Wegovy overview
Half-life is about 1 week. After 7 d, half is gone, and about 3% remains after five half-lives (35 d).
In STEP 1, at 68 weeks: 14.9% of body weight, compared with 2.4% for placebo treatment.
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Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), healthsystemtracker.org, prnewswire.com 1 2.
What the Ozempic label lists instead
The Ozempic label gives no rate for heart effects. It lists five side effects most often, and gives rates for each.
| Side effect | Placebo | Ozempic 0.5 mg | Ozempic 1 mg | More than placebo, 1 mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 6.1% | 15.8% | 20.3% | +14.2 points |
| Vomiting | 2.3% | 5% | 9.2% | +6.9 points |
| Diarrhea | 1.9% | 8.5% | 8.8% | +6.9 points |
| Abdominal pain | 4.6% | 7.3% | 5.7% | +1.1 points |
| Constipation | 1.5% | 5% | 3.1% | +1.6 points |
Source: Ozempic label (DailyMed).
Source: FDA label (DailyMed).
What the Ozempic label says
Here the label mentions heart effects, word for word:
“In placebo-controlled trials, OZEMPIC 0.5 mg and 1 mg resulted in a mean increase in heart rate of 2 to 3 beats per minute.”
Source: FDA label (DailyMed).