Semaglutide Cuts Asthma Attacks Nearly 40% and COPD Flare-Ups 20% in UK Study
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · Sep 9
Semaglutide Cuts Asthma Attacks Nearly 40% and COPD Flare-Ups 20% in UK Study
3 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Sep 9
Summary
Semaglutide was associated with nearly 40% fewer asthma attacks and about 20% fewer COPD flare-ups in a large real-world UK study presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress.
Four parallel analyses of electronic health records compared 20,000 to 22,000 patients starting a GLP-1 drug with similar patients given sulfonylureas, and semaglutide showed the strongest apparent respiratory benefit.
Researchers said the findings could mean added lung-health gains for people already eligible for GLP-1 drugs because of obesity or type 2 diabetes, but not a basis to prescribe them specifically for asthma or COPD.
Respiratory specialists called the work one of the largest real-world studies in airway disease and said randomized clinical trials must confirm whether metabolic therapies should include respiratory outcomes.