Chronic kidney disease, most commonly caused by diabetes and high blood pressure, puts more than half a billion people globally at high risk for kidney failure, cardiovascular events, and death. Treatment with semaglutide may significantly reduce this risk, according to a randomized study involving 3533 patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
After an average 3.4-year follow-up, the researchers found that participants who received a weekly semaglutide injection cut their risk of major kidney disease events by 24% compared with those who received a placebo. This included an 18% lower risk of major cardiovascular events and a 20% reduced risk of death from any cause. There were also fewer serious adverse events in the semaglutide group.
These findings suggest that “the use of semaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease will reduce the risk of kidney failure,” along with the risk of cardiovascular events and death, the researchers noted in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Published Online: June 21, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.10349