A new study from UVA Health has shown that tirzepatide, a drug used for weight loss and diabetes management, can lower the risk of death or worsening heart failure in patients with heart failure and obesity.
Tirzepatide, developed by Eli Lilly and Co., was tested in the SUMMIT clinical trial, which took place at 146 sites in the U.S. and internationally. The trial involved 731 patients diagnosed with diastolic heart failure and a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either tirzepatide injections or a placebo. The researchers followed them for an average of two years.
During this period, 56 patients in the placebo group either died or experienced worsening heart failure. In contrast, only 36 patients who received tirzepatide faced similar outcomes. Additionally, those on tirzepatide experienced significant weight loss, averaging 11.6% of their body weight.
Diastolic heart failure, also called heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, occurs when the heart’s left ventricle becomes stiff and cannot pump blood efficiently. This condition accounts for nearly half of all heart failure cases. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., responsible for one in every five deaths.
Obesity is a key factor contributing to heart failure. This motivated the SUMMIT trial researchers to test whether tirzepatide, an FDA-approved weight-loss drug, could help. The results indicated that tirzepatide significantly improved the management of diastolic heart failure by reducing deaths, preventing hospitalizations, and enhancing overall health. Patients also showed improvements in physical endurance, such as walking ability, and had notable reductions in inflammation, a marker of cardiovascular risk.
The most common side effects in the tirzepatide group were mild to moderate gastrointestinal issues, such as nausea and diarrhea. These side effects were generally manageable, the researchers reported at the American Heart Association conference in Chicago.
Additionally, Dr. Kramer, a lead researcher in the study, conducted an MRI substudy to examine the drug’s effects on heart structure and function. The results showed that tirzepatide helped reduce left ventricular mass (the weight of the heart) and the surrounding fat tissue. These reductions in heart mass and fat were linked to weight loss and improvements in heart function.
“This drug is reversing the negative effects of obesity on the heart,” Dr. Kramer said. “Its benefits go beyond just weight loss.”
The findings of the SUMMIT trial are being published in several prestigious medical journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Medicine, Circulation, and The Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The trial was sponsored by Eli Lilly.
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