The Wegovy weight loss shot could help people quit smoking, researchers suggest.
Smokers with type 2 diabetes who took semaglutide were less likely to need smoking-related medical care, a study found.
The researchers said the findings indicate that the drug, sold under the brand name Wegovy, should be investigated for its use in helping people quit smoking.
Compared with seven other diabetes medications, semaglutide use was associated with a lower risk of medical care related to tobacco addiction (tobacco use disorder – TUD), the study found.
Those who used the medication were less likely to be diagnosed with SUD, be prescribed smoking cessation medication, or receive smoking cessation counseling.
In the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers said: “Semaglutide was associated with reduced prescriptions and advice for smoking cessation medications.
“Similar findings were observed in patients with and without a diagnosis of obesity.”
They added: “These findings suggest the need for clinical trials to evaluate the potential of semaglutide for the treatment of TUD.”
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Reduced desire to smoke
There have been previous reports of reduced desire to smoke in patients treated with semaglutide, increasing interest in its potential to help people quit smoking.
The researchers, from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institutes of Health and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in the US, said similar effects were seen in and with a diagnosis of obesity and the results were mainly seen within 30 days later. prescription.
Semaglutide is prescribed as a weight loss medicine in the UK and has been approved for use to help reduce the risk of heart problems in people who are overweight or obese.
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