Semaglutide, a medication widely used for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, may also provide an unexpected benefit for people with asthma. New research presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain, found that semaglutide use was associated with a reduction in asthma attacks of nearly 40%.
The study was led by Professor Chloe Bloom, Clinical Associate Professor in Respiratory Epidemiology at the National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, UK, and presented by Dr. Bohee Lee.
Exploring GLP 1 Drugs and Lung Health
Dr. Bloom said: "GLP-1 receptor agonists are widely used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. Previous research suggests that they may have anti-inflammatory effects and may improve lung-related outcomes. However, asthma and COPD outcomes have not been included as outcomes in GLP-1 drug trials.
"We wanted to use real-world health records to investigate whether people with asthma or COPD who started GLP-1 receptor agonists had fewer acute respiratory attacks."
