Keywords
Obesity
Vascular health
Semaglutide
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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the effects of semaglutide on cardiovascular outcomes in obese adults, independent of its effect on weight loss. Methods: This is an integrative literature review conducted using the PubMed Central (PMC), Virtual Health Library (BVS), and CAPES Periodicals databases, using the descriptors in combination with the Boolean operator “AND”: Semaglutide, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Obesity. A total of 986 articles were found, filtered according to inclusion criteria (English language; period from 2021 to 2026) and exclusion criteria (duplicate articles, abstracts, out of scope). From this search, 20 articles were selected for the research. Results: Semaglutide demonstrated consistent benefits in obese patients, independent of glycemic control and diabetes, including weight loss, improvement in physical limitations, exercise capacity, reduction of cardiovascular and renal events, anti-inflammatory and cardiometabolic action. Treatment with semaglutide still showed a favorable safety profile when compared to placebo. However, these benefits are associated with an increased risk of adverse gastrointestinal effects and gallbladder disease. Final considerations: Semaglutide demonstrates benefits independent of glycemic control, including reduced inflammation, improved cardiac biomarkers, and favorable cardiac remodeling, supporting its potential as a cardiometabolic therapy.
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