A new international clinical trial has shown that the oral form of semaglutide, a medication already known for managing type 2 diabetes, can significantly lower the risk of serious heart problems like heart attacks and strokes.
These findings mark a major advancement in how doctors can protect patients with diabetes and other heart-related conditions using a convenient, pill-based treatment.
The study, called the SOUL trial, was led by Dr. John Buse and Dr. Matthew Cavender from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
Their research focused on people with type 2 diabetes who also had a history of cardiovascular disease or chronic kidney disease—groups known to be at especially high risk for life-threatening heart complications.
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a type of drug that mimics a natural hormone in the body to help control blood sugar levels.
While the injectable form of semaglutide has been available for some time and has already shown heart-related benefits, this is one of the first large-scale trials to prove similar advantages for the oral version of the drug.
In the study, 9,650 participants were randomly assigned to take either oral semaglutide or a placebo, on top of the standard treatments for diabetes and heart risk used in their local clinics. The semaglutide group received a once-daily dose of 14 mg.
Over time, researchers tracked whether people in each group experienced major cardiovascular events, including nonfatal heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular-related death.
The results were promising: oral semaglutide reduced the overall risk of major cardiovascular events by 14%compared to placebo. The most significant improvement was seen in nonfatal heart attacks, where the risk reduction was even more pronounced.
These findings are especially meaningful because cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in people with type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar over time damages blood vessels and increases the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both of which contribute to heart disease and stroke. Medications like semaglutide not only help control blood sugar but now show clear evidence of protecting the heart as well.
Dr. Buse highlighted the importance of this breakthrough, saying, “Heart attacks and strokes are among the most common and devastating complications of diabetes… Having an oral option to deliver this highly effective therapy is a big advance.”
While the injectable form of semaglutide has already been used to reduce heart risks in people with diabetes, this new study confirms that the pill version is similarly effective, making it easier for some patients to stick to their treatment plans. It also adds to growing interest in GLP-1 drugs for weight loss and even reducing cravings for substances like alcohol.
Still, the researchers note that more studies are needed to explore whether one form (oral vs. injectable) is better than the other at protecting the heart in the long run.
In summary, this study gives doctors and patients another powerful tool in the fight against diabetes and its serious complications. Oral semaglutide may offer a simpler, more accessible way to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes—two of the deadliest outcomes linked to type 2 diabetes.
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The research findings can be found in New England Journal of Medicine.
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