For people with heart disease, taking semaglutide means about 1 in 12 will stop treatment because of stomach problems like nausea or diarrhea — much more common than with a dummy pill.

For adults with heart disease and obesity who don’t have diabetes, taking a weekly semaglutide shot (2.4 mg) leads to more than twice as many people stopping treatment because of side effects compared to those taking a dummy shot.

A weekly injection of semaglutide (2.4 mg) helps lower the risk of serious heart problems like heart attack, stroke, or heart-related death by 20% in people over 45 who have heart disease and are overweight, but don’t have diabetes, compared to a fake treatment.

If you're obese and have heart disease but not diabetes, taking semaglutide might lower your chances of having a serious heart problem by 20%.

People without diabetes who are overweight or obese and take a weekly 2.4 mg dose of semaglutide often get mild stomach issues like nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting, but most keep taking it — only a small number stop because of these side effects.

If you're 45 or older, have heart disease, and are overweight but don’t have diabetes, taking semaglutide for about 3 years might lower your chance of having a serious heart problem by a small amount — about 1.5%. That means 67 people need to take it for one person to avoid a heart event, which gives a clearer picture than the often-shared 20% drop in risk.