In a recent study published in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology , researchers performed a secondary analysis of the semaglutide treatment effect in people with obesity and heart failure with a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (STEP-HFpEF) program that included individuals with diabetes mellitus (STEP-HFpEF DM), stratified by biological sex. Obesity-associated cardiac failure with retained ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a significant worldwide health concern, particularly among women. Local and systemic changes cause HFpEF, resulting in severe symptoms, low functional status, and inferior clinical outcomes.
Biological sex impacts heart failure risk factors, clinical presentation, treatment response, and prognosis. Female patients with HFpEF had higher survival rates and required fewer hospitalizations. Gender variations in ventricular structure, function, body composition, and adiposity distribution might promote aberrant inflammation, resulting in severe clinical symptoms in women.
As women gain weight, their blood and plasma volumes rise. However, there is insufficient information on sex differences in baseline characteristics, outcomes, and pharmacotherapeutic responses. In the present study, researchers analyzed STEP-HFpEF program (including STEP-HFpEF DM) data to explore the impact of biological sex on anthropometric, cardiovascular health-related, and inflammatory parameters and semaglutide therapy.
The researchers recruited participants from 1.
