Blockbuster weight loss drug Wegoby could become the “new statin” after U.S. regulators approved it as a treatment for heart disease.

This follows the results of a large trial that found the drug, known as semaglutide, could reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in obese people by about 20 percent.

Around 50,000 people in the UK who are obese or have at least one weight-related problem, including heart disease, are already eligible for Wegovy on the NHS and will receive these benefits .

However, the drug’s developer, Novo Nordisk, has applied for a similar update to the UK regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Thousands of patients could have access to this drug in the future.

Professor Naveed Sattar, an obesity expert at the University of Glasgow, told the Mail on Sunday: “Cardiotrists are now starting to look seriously at semaglutide as a treatment for cardiovascular disease.”

Weight loss jab Wegovy may reduce risk of heart attack and stroke by around 20% in obese patients, major trial finds

And Professor David Strain, from the University of Exeter, said that pending further research, it could eventually be used in a similar way to statins, which are given to around eight million adults in the UK to prevent heart attacks and strokes. He said it was possible.

Professor Strain said: “Initially, statins were only targeted at people with very high cholesterol, but then they were targeted at people with risk factors.”

“Evidence now shows that it doesn’t matter what your cholesterol is. Once you reach a certain age, you will benefit from statins.”

“With semaglutide, I can see that happening in the future.”

This drug works by suppressing appetite and stimulating insulin production.

This drug, also used to treat type 2 diabetes under the brand name Ozempic, works by suppressing appetite and stimulating the production of insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar.

However, Professor Strain says there is growing evidence to suggest that it is not only associated with the beneficial effects of weight loss, but also has a direct effect on the heart, but how does it help the heart? It is still unclear exactly.

“I’m absolutely convinced that it’s not just the reduction in obesity that has this effect,” he says. “Weight loss surgery can achieve similar weight loss, but the effect on cardiovascular risk is not as immediate.”

A Novo Nordisk spokesperson said a decision by the MHRA is expected later this year.