Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY.N) is advancing its experimental next-generation weight-loss drug, which mimics the effects of three hormones instead of the traditional one or two. Recent clinical trials reveal not only significant weight loss but also added cardiovascular and liver health benefits.
At the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) meeting in London, researchers highlighted that Lilly’s drug, retatrutide, significantly reduced blood lipid levels and cardiovascular risks in a mid-stage trial. After 48 weeks, patients taking retatrutide saw up to a 40.6% reduction in triglycerides and a 38% decrease in apoC-III levels, a protein linked to glucose metabolism and inflammation.
In earlier announcements, Lilly reported that patients on the highest dose of retatrutide lost about 24% of their body weight—surpassing the results of current popular weight-loss drugs. Additionally, patients experienced notable improvements in liver fat levels, making the drug a potential game-changer in treating obesity-related conditions.
Retatrutide operates by mimicking three hormones: GLP-1, which reduces appetite and blood sugar levels; GIP, which also curbs appetite and lowers blood sugar; and glucagon, which promotes fat breakdown and prevents dangerously low blood sugar levels. Lilly is continuing to test retatrutide in late-stage trials, with the drug showing promise as a multi-functional treatment for obesity and its associated health risks.
Comprehensive Heart Treatment for Older Patients Shows Promise
In other health news presented at the ESC meeting, researchers are advocating for a more aggressive approach to treating older patients who suffer from a specific type of heart attack known as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This severe form of heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes completely blocked, leading to permanent heart damage.
Traditionally, younger patients with STEMI and multiple narrowed coronary arteries undergo complete revascularization—a procedure that clears all blocked arteries and places stents to keep them open. However, this approach is underused in older patients due to concerns about longer procedure times and potential complications.
A pooled analysis of data from seven studies involving 1,733 patients aged 75 and older found that complete revascularization significantly improved outcomes. Four years after the procedure, patients who had all blocked arteries treated experienced a 22% reduction in combined outcomes, including death from any cause, heart attack, or the need for additional artery-unclogging procedures, compared to those who only had the primary blocked artery treated.
Although the benefits of complete revascularization diminished slightly over time, the study found a 24% reduction in heart-related deaths and heart attacks in the group that received comprehensive treatment. Importantly, there were no significant differences in procedure-related complications between the two groups, including stroke, clogged stents, major bleeding, or kidney issues.
The researchers, led by Dr. Gianluca Campo of the University Hospital of Ferrara in Italy, are continuing to gather long-term data on the study participants to further assess outcomes.
Timing of Blood Pressure Medication: Morning or Evening?
A new Canadian study has confirmed that the timing of blood pressure medication—whether taken in the morning or evening—does not impact the effectiveness in preventing major cardiovascular events.
In a large-scale analysis presented at the ESC meeting, researchers pooled data from five randomized trials involving 46,606 patients. They found no significant differences in major adverse heart problems or all-cause mortality between patients who took their blood pressure medication in the morning versus those who took it at night.
The findings challenge previous guidelines that recommended nighttime dosing, particularly because blood pressure tends to peak in the morning and drop at night. However, according to Dr. Ricky Turgeon from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, patients should take their medication at a time when they are least likely to forget.
Dr. Scott Garrison from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, who led two of the five trials, added that while evening dosing was safe, it offered no additional advantages over morning dosing. His team’s research, including a trial involving frail older patients, supports the idea that the most critical factor is medication adherence, regardless of the time of day.