Semaglutide and Hospitalizations in Patients With Obesity and Established Cardiovascular Disease: An Exploratory Analysis of the SELECT Randomized Clinical Trial
An erratum to this article was published (JAMA Cardiol, 1 Jun 2026 ↗)
Authors' conclusion
In this prespecified exploratory analysis of the SELECT randomized clinical trial, the trial cohort had a high rate of hospital admissions. Treatment with once-weekly semaglutide was associated with significant reductions in hospital admissions and overall time spent in hospital, extending its benefits beyond CV risk reduction.
Study context
- Population
- Patients aged ≥45 years with established CV disease (CVD) and body mass index (BMI) ≥27 without diabetesmedian follow-up 41.8 months
- Participants
- 17,604 patients
- Comparison
- Semaglutide vs placebo
- Primary endpoint
- Total number of hospital admissions and days in hospital
Methodological detailsprespecified exploratory analysis, 804 clinical settings, Patients randomized October 2018 to March 2021
- Prespecified exploratory analysis
- 804 clinical settings
- Patients randomized October 2018 to March 2021
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Semaglutide
- Admissions, any indication
- 18.3 admissions per 100 patient-years
- Admissions for SAEs
- 15.2 admissions per 100 patient-years
- Days hospitalized, any indication
- 157.2 days per 100 patient-years
- Days hospitalized for SAEs
- 137.6 days per 100 patient-years
Placebo
- Admissions, any indication
- 20.4 admissions per 100 patient-years
- Admissions for SAEs
- 17.1 admissions per 100 patient-years
- Days hospitalized, any indication
- 176.2 days per 100 patient-years
- Days hospitalized for SAEs
- 153.9 days per 100 patient-years
Admissions, any indication
Semaglutide18.3 admissions per 100 patient-years
Placebo20.4 admissions per 100 patient-years
Admissions for SAEs
Semaglutide15.2 admissions per 100 patient-years
Placebo17.1 admissions per 100 patient-years
Days hospitalized, any indication
Semaglutide157.2 days per 100 patient-years
Placebo176.2 days per 100 patient-years
Days hospitalized for SAEs
Semaglutide137.6 days per 100 patient-years
Placebo153.9 days per 100 patient-years
Semaglutide vs PlaceboRelative risk (95% CI)P value
Days hospitalized, any indication
0.89(0.82–0.98)
P = 0.01Days hospitalized for serious adverse events
0.89(0.81–0.98)
P = 0.02- Admissions, any indication
- mean ratio 0.90 (95% CI 0.85–0.95); P < 0.001
- Admissions for serious adverse events
- mean ratio 0.89 (95% CI 0.84–0.94); P < 0.001
Further findings
- No heterogeneity for reduction of hospital admissions with semaglutide in selected subgroups, including BMI, age and sex
Original publication
Semaglutide and Hospitalizations in Patients With Obesity and Established Cardiovascular Disease: An Exploratory Analysis of the SELECT Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Cardiol. Published 1 February 2026. doi:10.
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