A Pilot Clinical Trial Investigating Underlying Mechanisms of Semaglutide Therapy in Heart Failure Patients
Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, primarily used for treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus. GLP-1 receptors are present on pancreatic islet β-cells, δ-cells and α-cells. Their stimulation increases insulin and somatostatin secretion, and decreases glucagon secretion. In addition, GLP-1 receptor agonists appear to have multiple extrapancreatic actions, which remain poorly defined. In large clinical trials, semaglutide improved the outcomes in obese patients, patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and decreased the heart failure hospitalizations in patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of the present study is to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the beneficial clinical effects of semaglutide in the setting of chronic heart failure.
• Age: 20-80 years
• Presence of heart failure
• Body-mass index 27 kg/m2 or greater
• Stable optimally tolerated dosages of heart failure therapies for 3 months
• N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide levels \>350 pg/mL