Why This Matters to You

For anyone already weighing up whether to start Mounjaro or Wegovy, or considering switching, this adds another dimension beyond weight loss and price.

Wegovy is already approved in the UK for reducing heart risks in people with cardiovascular disease and obesity, based on last year’s SELECT trial, which also showed reduced heart attacks and strokes. Now, this new real-world data seems to reinforce that advantage.

Mounjaro, on the other hand, is still building its evidence base for cardiovascular outcomes. It’s highly effective for weight loss and blood sugar control, but it hasn’t yet matched Wegovy’s headline-grabbing heart data.

The Bigger Picture

Here’s the takeaway:

• If you have existing heart disease, Wegovy may offer added reassurance that it could reduce your risk of major events.

• If you’re on Mounjaro, this doesn’t mean you’re missing out; the drug still showed benefits compared to no treatment at all.

• For everyone, it’s a reminder that weight-loss jabs aren’t just about the scales. They can affect wider health, and research is still evolving fast.

Doctors will tell you the most important thing is finding a treatment that works for your body, your lifestyle, and your health risks. These findings give patients more information to bring into that conversation.

The headlines this month have all been about rising prices and supply shortages. But at the European Society of Cardiology congress this week, researchers dropped a different kind of bombshell: Wegovy may be offering stronger heart protection than Mounjaro.

According to Reuters, a large real-world study of more than 21,000 patients found that those prescribed Wegovy (semaglutide) had a 57% lower risk of heart attack, stroke, or death compared to people not on treatment. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) patients also saw a benefit, but the effect was smaller, with around 0.4% of users experiencing a major cardiac event, compared to just 0.1% of those on Wegovy. The findings were presented at the ESC Congress in London on Sunday.

What the Study Looked At

The study tracked adults living with cardiovascular disease but without diabetes, the exact kind of group doctors are hoping to help with these new weight-loss medications. Patients were followed for about four months on average.

• In that time, major cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, or death) occurred in:

  • 0.1% of people taking Wegovy

  • 0.4% of people taking Mounjaro

  • Higher rates among those not on GLP-1 medication

On the surface, that makes Wegovy look like the clear winner. But researchers were quick to stress that this was an observational study, not a head-to-head clinical trial. In plain terms, it’s encouraging data, but it doesn’t prove definitively that one drug is “better” than the other.