The diabetes drug semaglutide (known by the brand name Wegovy, among others) has grabbed headlines for its ability to trigger near-effortless weight loss.

But research points to benefits beyond the bathroom scale: this weight loss drug may also be good for the heart. In the SELECT trial, people who did not have diabetes but had body mass indexes (BMIs) that put them in the overweight or obese category experienced a reduced incidence of heart attack, stroke, and death after taking the medication.

“This is an important study because it’s the first time a weight loss drug has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, including the risk of death,” says Howard Weintraub, MD, clinical director of the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, part of NYU Langone Heart. “The results of SELECT show us that semaglutide is lifesaving.”

Dr. Weintraub was one of the SELECT trial’s principal investigators, and below he breaks down what you need to know about semaglutide and heart disease.

Semaglutide and heart health: What’s the connection?

During the four-year SELECT trial, people who took semaglutide had a reduced risk of heart disease and heart-related death. Semaglutide reduced the risk of death from heart disease, nonfatal heart attack, and nonfatal stroke by 20 percent in people with established heart disease who were overweight or obese but who didn’t have diabetes.

But also: there was an overall reduced risk of heart failure, and evidence that the kidneys were protected as well. Underlying kidney disease can compromise cardiovascular health.

How does semaglutide protect the heart?

The drug definitely did something that changed cardiovascular outcomes, but exactly what is still unclear. Semaglutide didn’t affect total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, or blood pressure. All of those are linked with heart disease risk. But on average, patients lost about 10 percent of their body weight. Is the reduction in heart disease risk due to the drug alone or due to a reduction in obesity? That’s unclear. But we do know something is definitely happening to improve heart health.

Who should take semaglutide?

The best candidate for semaglutide is someone who fits the inclusion criteria for the SELECT study: someone with cardiovascular disease who is overweight or obese.

Semaglutide (as Wegovy) is approved for use in patients who are overweight or obese and who have a weight-related medical condition, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. The SELECT trial showed us that the drug could potentially help many more people. I think people who are overweight or obese with preexisting cardiovascular disease who don’t have diabetes should ask their cardiologist about it, and be offered it if they meet those criteria.