Tirzepatide bests semaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and heart failure
Tirzepatide is associated with a much lower all-cause mortality rate than semaglutide when patients present with type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and heart failure, according to new data presented at SCAI 2025 Scientific Sessions, the annual meeting of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI).
Tirzepatide and semaglutide are both popular diabetes drugs being used more and more for weight loss and other benefits.
Tirzepatide is a popular dual GIP/GLP-receptor agonist sold by Eli Lilly and Company under the brand names Zepbound and Mounjaro. It has previously been linked to improved outcomes in patients with sleep apnea and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.
Semaglutide, meanwhile, is a GLP-1 receptor agonist sold by Novo Nordisk under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic. It has been associated with a long list of health benefits, including several associated with improvements in cardiovascular symptoms in patients with and without diabetes.
The study’s authors noted that patients with type 2 diabetes often go on to develop CKD and/or heart failure due to the close relationships of those conditions. To learn more about the best possible treatment for these conditions, the group examined data from more than 9,000 patients who all presented with type 2 diabetes, CKS and heart failure. While 4,856 patients were treated semaglutide, another 4,856 were treated with tirzepatide. All patients were followed for a full year.
Lead author Adbul Wali Khan, MD, a resident at the University of Missouri Kansas City, presented the group’s findings. Overall, semaglutide was linked to a higher one-year risk of all-cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and hospital readmission than tirzepatide. The rates of hemorrhagic stroke, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter and cardiac arrest were comparable between the two drugs.
Semaglutide did appear to perform better than tirzepatide in one important way; HbA1c levels were less likely to be under 7% for patients treated with tirzepatide than those treated with semaglutide.
“While both medications show promise in managing cardiovascular and renal conditions, our team was pleasantly surprised to find significantly better outcomes associated with tirzepatide due to its lower cost, fewer side effects, and greater weight loss effectiveness,” Khan said in a statement.
Additional details about the session are available here.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.