Scientists hail two everyday drugs helping obese patients match heart health of healthy-weight peers

Scientists hail two everyday drugs helping obese patients match heart health of healthy-weight peers

Cholesterol-lowering statins and blood pressure medications have enabled middle-aged and older adults living with obesity to achieve cardiovascular health markers virtually identical to those of healthy-weight individuals, according to a new study. The research, published in The Lancet, demonstrates that gaps in unhealthy cholesterol and blood pressure readings between obese and normal-weight people have "narrowed or disappeared" among those aged 40 and above. Remarkably, researchers found that in certain instances, individuals with obesity were actually "better off" than their healthy-weight counterparts on these key measurements. The findings are attributed primarily to the widespread prescription of cholesterol-reducing drugs and antihypertensive treatments, which are more frequently used by people carrying excess weight. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Scientists noted the results offer valuable insight into the cardiovascular profile of patients likely to receive weight-loss medications. The investigation drew on data from close to one million adults between the ages of 20 and 79, spanning seven nations including England, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Finland and the United States. Researchers analysed 110 health surveys conducted over more than three decades, from 1990 to 2024, examining blood pressure readings, cholesterol measurements and body mass index figures. Prof Majid Ezzati, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, said: "Our study suggests that, in high-income countries, taking medication to lower blood pressure and cholesterol has helped middle-aged and older adults lower their cardiovascular risk to levels that are similar to people with normal BMI." The team observed that reductions in harmful cholesterol and blood pressure were particularly pronounced among obese participants, creating a convergence with normal-weight individuals. The positive findings do not extend to younger age groups, with the study