Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation who is also a consultant cardiologist, said: “So-called ‘weight loss drugs’ like semaglutide have proven benefits beyond reducing the number on the scales – they are now considered important medicines for preventing deadly heart attacks and strokes.
“Today’s guidance for Scotland will no doubt help save lives as cardiovascular disease is still one of the country’s biggest killers.
“That’s why it’s so important that when we get new and effective medicines which prevent cardiovascular disease complications, like semaglutide, that they get to everyone who could benefit as soon as possible.”
Each year in the UK, there are about 100,000 hospital admissions due to heart attacks. Another 100,000 people experience a stroke and around 350,000 people live with peripheral arterial disease.
People who have already had one of these health issues are at higher risk of experiencing more problems.
Experts estimate that disease might be prevented in about seven in 10 cases based on the best evidence.