Semaglutide associated with increased walking distance in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease and type 2 diabetes
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, April 2, 2025 (HealthDay News) — For patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease and type 2 diabetes, semaglutide use is associated with increased walking distance, according to a study published online March 29 in The Lancet to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from March 29 to 31 in Chicago.
Marc P. Bonaca, M.D., from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, and colleagues conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial at 112 outpatient clinical trial sites in 20 countries. Patients were aged 18 years and older and had type 2 diabetes and peripheral artery disease with intermittent claudication. Participants were randomly allocated to receive subcutaneous semaglutide 1.0 mg once per week for 52 weeks or placebo (396 patients in each group).
The researchers found that the estimated median ratio to baseline in maximum walking distance at week 52 was significantly greater in the semaglutide group versus the placebo group (1.21 versus 1.08; estimated treatment ratio, 1.13). Serious adverse events that were possibly or probably related to treatment were reported in five participants (six events) in the semaglutide group and six participants (nine events) in the placebo group; serious gastrointestinal events were the most frequent (two events in two patients in the semaglutide group; five events in three patients in the placebo group). No treatment-related deaths were reported.
“These findings support the use of semaglutide in people with peripheral artery disease and type 2 diabetes and suggest that semaglutide should be prioritized among treatments for this population,” the authors write.
Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including Novo Nordisk, which manufactures semaglutide and funded the study.
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