SynthesisBMC cardiovascular disorders2025

Cardiovascular benefits of semaglutide: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Samin Sadraei, Aryan Aarabi, Shahryar Rajai Firouzabadi, Mohammadreza Alinejadfard, Ida Mohammadi, Amir Ghaffari Jolfayi

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC cardiovascular disorders, 2025. The graph read 1 number from its abstract, feeding 1 cell of the map: it supports the treatment in 1. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

1number the graph read from it
1cell of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

← favours the treatmentfavours the comparator →
1 · no effect
Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)semaglutide vs placebofavours the treatment · ascvd, t2dfeeds one cell of the map
RR 0.810.74 to 0.88p < 0.001
There was a significant reduction in the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after administration of semaglutide (RR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.74-0.88, p < 0.001, I CONCLUSION: Semaglutide effectively reduces the risk of MACE and modestly improves cardiovascular mortality rates and nonfatal myocardial infarction, without significantly affecting nonfatal stroke incidence and hospitalizations (for angina and heart failure).

clause the extractor read what became the number

2 · Its place on the map

Where it lands on the map

Rows are treatments, columns are outcomes. The coloured squares are the cells this paper feeds, coloured by the vote it casts there. Click one to jump to what this paper adds to it.

supports the treatmentfavours the comparatorno clear differenceread, but no usable result
3 · What it changes

What it adds to each cell

For every cell the paper feeds: the belief in the claim with and without this paper, and this paper's estimate drawn against every other readable study in the cell. The ringed dot is this paper.

GLP-1 receptor agonists×cardiovascular events

SupportsOpen on the map →What to test next →

13 readable studies in this cell: 7 favour the treatment, 2 find no difference, 4 favour the comparator.

Belief with this paper
0.50contested · 7 families support, 3 contradict · against placebo
Without itNot a counted family in this claim, so removing it changes nothing.
← favours the treatmentfavours the comparator →
1 · no effect
NCT0399313226,774 enrolled · 2018
HR 1.010.91 to 1.11
NCT0357459717,604 enrolled · 2018
HR 0.800.72 to 0.89
NCT013949529,901 enrolled · 2011
HR 0.880.79 to 0.99
NCT039143269,651 enrolled · 2019
HR 0.860.77 to 0.96
NCT011790489,341 enrolled · 2010
HR 0.870.78 to 0.97
NCT038191533,533 enrolled · 2019
HR 0.760.66 to 0.88
NCT017204463,297 enrolled · 2013
HR 0.740.58 to 0.95
NCT026927163,183 enrolled · 2017
HR 0.790.57 to 1.11
OR 1.951.28 to 3.00
NCT05564039282 enrolled · 2022
OR 20.48.40 to 49.8

This paper's own estimate is on a different scale from the rest of the cell, so it is not drawn here.

4 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

5 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
6 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

7 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Samin SadraeiSchool of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Aryan AarabiSchool of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Shahryar Rajai FirouzabadiStudent Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammadreza AlinejadfardSchool of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Ida MohammadiStudent Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. idamohammadi2000@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-0662-0329
Amir Ghaffari JolfayiStudent Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

8 · The paper itself

Abstract

The marked sentences are the ones the graph read a number from.

backgroundSemaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), has shown potential in controlling type 2 diabetes due to their ability to lower blood glucose and improve cardiovascular outcomes. Although semaglutide is the newest GLP-1RA available, its cardiovascular effects have not yet been systematically reviewed.

methodsThis meta-analysis adhered to a pre-registered protocol (PROSPERO ID: CRD42024538847). PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched comprehensively on February 26, 2024, to locate randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing semaglutide's impact on cardiovascular outcomes. A random effects model was used to analyze the data and the Cochrane risk of bias 2 tool was used to assess the quality of included studies.

resultsThere were four RCTs involving 27,617 individuals (13,809 receiving semaglutide and 13,808 receiving placebo). There was a significant reduction in the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after administration of semaglutide (RR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.74-0.88, p < 0.001, I

conclusionSemaglutide effectively reduces the risk of MACE and modestly improves cardiovascular mortality rates and nonfatal myocardial infarction, without significantly affecting nonfatal stroke incidence and hospitalizations (for angina and heart failure). While it lowers the occurrence of serious adverse events, it also increases the likelihood of discontinuing treatment.

Indexed as

Blood GlucoseCardiovascular DiseasesDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2Glucagon-Like PeptidesHypoglycemic AgentsAgedFemaleGlucagon-Like Peptide 1Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsHumansMaleMiddle AgedRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRisk AssessmentSemaglutideTreatment OutcomeBlood GlucoseGlucagon-Like Peptide 1Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor AgonistsGlucagon-Like PeptidesHypoglycemic AgentsSemaglutideCardiovascular mortalityGLP-1 receptor agonistMajor Adverse Cardiac EventsMyocardial infarctionSemaglutideStroke

Identifiers

PMID41272444
PMCPMC12752371

What Socratic holds

Texttitle and abstract
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.