ACC.24 — We are joined onsite by Dr Mikhail Kosiborod (Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, US) to discuss the findings from the STEP HFpEF DM Trial (NCT04916470).

The STEP HFpEF DM study aimed to investigate the effect of taking semaglutide 2.4mg once weekly in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and diabetes mellitus type 2. The study looked at the impact of heart failure on participants daily life, as well as change in body weight. 610 patients were enrolled in the study, and received either semaglutide or placebo once a week, for 59 weeks.

Findings showed that semaglutide 2.4 mg produced larger reductions in HF-related symptoms and physical limitations, greater weight loss and greater improvements in exercise function than placebo in patients with obesity-related HFpEF and type 2 diabetes. During the study, lower NT-proBNP rates were observed, with fewer HF events as compared to placebo. The drug was well tolerated, and reduced HbA1c without an increase in clinically significant hypoglycaemia or diabetic retinopathy events.

Interview Questions:

1. What is the importance of this study?
2. What was the study design and patient population?
3. What are your key findings?
4. What are the implications of these findings on clinical practice?
5. What are your take-home messages?
6. What questions remain around semaglutide?

Recorded onsite at the ACC Conference in Atlanta, 2024.