The trial
17,604 adults with overweight or obesity and existing heart disease, but no diabetes, got semaglutide or placebo and were followed for about three years (Lincoff et al., NEJM, 2023).
What they found
Major heart events (heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death) happened in 8.0% on placebo and 6.5% on semaglutide.
That’s a 20% relative reduction in a large randomized trial.
The fine print
It’s a prescription drug with real side effects, studied in one specific group. Whether it’s right for you is a conversation with your doctor.
Decoded / the concept
Relative vs absolute
8.0% → 6.5% is a 20% relative drop and a 1.5-point absolute drop.
Both are true. The first sounds bigger. The second tells you what it means for you. Always ask for both.
What you can do
- If you have heart disease and overweight, ask your doctor about the SELECT results.
- Ask for absolute and relative numbers for any drug.
- Never start or stop a prescription on your own.
Common questions
Does semaglutide reduce heart attacks?
In the SELECT trial of 17,604 adults with overweight or obesity and existing heart disease (no diabetes), major heart events were 6.5% on semaglutide vs 8.0% on placebo over about 3 years, a 20% relative reduction.
What is the absolute risk reduction in SELECT?
About 1.5 percentage points (8.0% to 6.5%).
Published 2026-10-01 · Last reviewed 2026-10-01
Educational content, not medical advice. Talk to your clinician before changing anything about your health.
