New Guideline Puts Weight-Loss Drugs Before Lifestyle for Heart Disease Prevention

A blended approach offers hope, but it could backfire and leave patients dependent on weight-loss medication, a critic warns.
New Guideline Puts Weight-Loss Drugs Before Lifestyle for Heart Disease Prevention
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Medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide are now recommended as a first-line treatment for managing cardiovascular disease risk among patients with obesity, marking continued clinical momentum for modern weight loss drugs.

The American College of Cardiology recently published the new guidelines, which square off those who support the use of these medications to deal with the ticking clock of heart attacks, stroke, and heart failure, against doctors who favor a traditional approach of lifestyle changes before drugs. This represents a major pivot in the treatment of obesity as it relates to heart disease risk.
Amy Denney
Amy Denney
Author
Amy Denney is a health reporter for The Epoch Times. Amy has a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield and has won several awards for investigative and health reporting. She covers the microbiome, new treatments, and integrative wellness.