Rybelsus, an oral form of the GLP-1 drug semaglutide, has been discovered to provide similar cardiovascular benefits as the injectable forms of the drug.

Researchers presented this at the American College of Cardiology scientific meeting held in Chicago in March.

In a trial of 9,650 patients with type 2 diabetes, who had clogged heart arteries and/or chronic kidney disease, those taking Rybelsus were overall 14% less likely to experience heart-related death, heart attack or stroke than those who received a placebo after an average follow-up of four years.

Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has been shown to reduce the risk of adverse cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes according to the New England Journal of Medicine.

The researchers saw a 26% reduction in non-fatal heart attacks with oral semaglutide and a 12% reduction in non-fatal strokes, both of which “are among the most common and devastating complications of diabetes,” study co author Dr. John Buse of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine said in a statement.

It is still unclear though the exact mechanism through which the drugs reduce cardiovascular risk is not known, however, their anti-inflammatory activity is thought to play a role.

“Semaglutide has been a mainstay of our efforts to reduce heart attack and stroke in people with diabetes,” Buse said. “Having an oral option to deliver this highly effective therapy is a big advance.”

Despite the resounding success of the drug manufactured alongside Ozempic, the injectable form by Pharma giant Novo Nordisk, the most common side effects mainly gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, diarrhea, constipation and gas remain.

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