The FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the US drug regulatory agency, approved the use of Mounjaro, a medication from pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiac death in adults with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk. This decision significantly expands the medication's indications, which were previously focused only on diabetes control and, subsequently, on obesity treatment.
The FDA's decision was based on an international study with more than 13,000 patients, followed for approximately four and a half years. The research compared the use of Mounjaro to Trulicity and recorded an 8% reduction in the rate of major cardiovascular events among users of tirzepatide, the medication's active ingredient.
Tirzepatide acts on the receptors of the GIP and GLP-1 hormones, which are responsible for controlling blood sugar and appetite. With this new approval, Mounjaro is now indicated not only for metabolic control, but also as a cardiovascular prevention tool in diabetic patients with greater vulnerability to heart problems.