Wegovy (Ozempic) and high blood pressure: does it help?
Can semaglutide help patients control their blood pressure? Join us as we look at the latest evidence.
You might already know that semaglutide – the active ingredient in Wegovy injection pens – can help people living with obesity lose weight. But can it also treat high blood pressure (hypertension)?
The short answer is 'yes!' There's compelling evidence to suggest that semaglutide can help with high blood pressure. That's one reason people with high blood pressure can access the drug at a lower BMI than people living with obesity alone (27 versus 30).
Let's look at some of this evidence in a little more detail.
A quick note: Ozempic and Wegovy contain the same active ingredient (semaglutide), but they are different drugs used to treat different things. While some doctors may prescribe Ozempic for weight loss, it's only licensed in the UK for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
How can Wegovy help people with high blood pressure?
Scientists have studied the effects of semaglutide on blood pressure in people with and without type 2 diabetes. In both cases, researchers saw a 'significant reduction' in blood pressure among those taking semaglutide.
On top of this, there is a recognised link between losing weight and lowering blood pressure. There are several reasons for this. An obvious one is that when you lose weight, especially from your stomach, there's less pressure on the heart.
This means it doesn't have to pump as hard to keep blood flowing.
Semaglutide and exercise
Regular exercise is also proven to make a big difference to blood pressure. That's one reason why SemaPen's Wegovy weight loss programme provides professional medical support to help you make healthy lifestyle changes. This includes building regular exercise into your routine and increasing daily activity.
But how does exercise help – and what's the link with semaglutide?
Studies have shown that high blood pressure can damage the heart, causing part of the heart wall to thicken. Regular exercise can help to repair this part of the heart – a process called cardiac remodelling. Improving your heart health is another way to reduce high blood pressure.
This is good news for those on Wegovy, as a recent study found that Semaglutide appears to improve cardiac remodelling.
This adds weight to another study, which found that Wegovy actively reduces the risk of dangerous heart events such as a heart attack or stroke. Researchers saw positive results, regardless of the amount of weight lost by participants.
Are you interested in trying Wegovy for weight loss? When you join the SemaPen programme, you get tailored advice from obesity experts at each step on your weight loss journey. Why not take our online consultation to find out if you're eligible?
Sources
1. Kennedy, C. et al. (2023) "The Effect of Semaglutide on Blood Pressure in Patients without Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(3) https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12030772
2. Wu W. et al. (2023) "The effect of semaglutide on blood pressure in patients with type-2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis" Endocrine, 83(3) https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-023-03636-9
3. Bacon, S.L. et al. (2004) "Effects of exercise, diet and weight loss on high blood pressure" Sports Medicine, 34(5) https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200434050-00003
4. Hedge, S.M. & Solomon, S.D. (2015) "Influence of Physical Activity on Hypertension and Cardiac Structure and Function" Current Hypertension Reports, 17(77) https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-015-0588-3
5. Solomon, S.D. et al. (2024) "Effect of Semaglutide on Cardiac Structure and Function in Patients With Obesity-Related Heart Failure" Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Epub 2024 Aug 30 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2024.08.021
6. Lincoff, A.M. et al. (2023) "Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes" The New England Journal of Medicine, 389(24) https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2307563
This article was reviewed by and approved by Alice Fletcher, Lead Bariatric Dietitian, on 3 April 2025.
