Can Weight Loss Drugs Improve HFpEF?

What is HFpEF?

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) affects about 3 million people in the United States. When the heart is filled with blood, it needs to relax properly so that enough blood can enter the heart. With HFpEF, the heart muscle becomes stiff during this stage. HFpEF is caused by high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, diabetes, obesity and sleep apnea. It is more common in older adults.

A large study published in Journal of Amercian Medical Association (JAMA) found that semaglutide and tirzepatide, the active ingredients in weight loss drugs are actually more effective in mitigating the rest of hospitalization and death due to HFpEF compared with the standard drug for treatment, diabetes drug sitagliptin. 

There were approximately 100,000 total participants studied from 2018-2024. The concluding results were that the weight loss drugs were more effective in preventing hospitalization and death by 40%

Why is that a big deal?

3 million people in the US alone have HFpEF, and don’t have many treatment options. Using semaglutide or tirzepatide opens the door for more treatment options, and also shows the weight loss drugs are effective beyond treating obesity. 

Lifestyle can not be stressed enough

Medications and surgery are tools to aid in weight loss, but they must be used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle for maximum effectiveness.

This includes :

• Consistent exercise

• a balanced diet (lean proteins, vegetables, healthy fats)

• 7-9 hours of sleep

• avoiding cigarettes and consuming excess alcohol

• Maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels 

  
  

For more information on medical weight loss, contact Dr. Korman’s office today:

310-577-5540