Ozempic and Wegovy Linked to Fewer Asthma Attacks and COPD Flare-ups

People with asthma who began taking semaglutide experienced nearly 40% fewer asthma attacks, according to a real-world analysis of United Kingdom health records presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress. The findings suggest that GLP-1 receptor agonists, best known for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity, may offer respiratory benefits, though researchers stress that clinical trials are needed to confirm the association before any treatment guidelines change.

Real-World Study Links Semaglutide to Lower Asthma Attack Rates

The observational research examined electronic health records from approximately 80,000 adult patients in the United Kingdom diagnosed with chronic airway diseases, according to study author Chloe Bloom, a respiratory epidemiologist at Imperial College London. Her team structured the investigation into four separate parallel groups of roughly 20,000 to 22,000 individuals each. Patients who newly started a GLP-1 receptor agonist—such as semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy—were compared with similar patients prescribed older diabetes medications called sulfonylureas.

Across the evaluated datasets, the data revealed a notable divergence in acute respiratory flare-ups. Lead investigator Chloe Bloom noted that the effect was strongest with semaglutide especially in people with asthma, where use of semaglutide appears to be associated with nearly 40% reduction in asthma attacks (according to a European Respiratory Society statement). The analysis further associated semaglutide use with about a 20% reduction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease flare-ups, according to the research team. When evaluating GLP-1 drugs as an entire class against sulfonylureas, exacerbations dropped by roughly 14%, according to a MedPage Today account of the Barcelona presentation.

Investigating the Anti-Inflammatory Link Between GLP-1 and Lung Health

Obesity and airway diseases frequently overlap in clinical practice. The incidence of asthma rises by about 50% in people with overweight or obesity, and the overall risk climbs alongside body weight, according to background data discussed at the congress. GLP-1 receptor agonists lower blood sugar, slow the emptying of the stomach, and suppress appetite, while also reducing high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a primary biological marker of systemic inflammation.

Despite these physiological mechanisms, clinical trials for GLP-1 medications have not historically tracked asthma and COPD outcomes as primary endpoints. Alexander Mathioudakis, chair of the European Respiratory Society group on airway pharmacology and a senior lecturer at the University of Manchester who was not involved in the work, described the project as one of the largest real-world studies to investigate GLP-1 receptor agonists and airways disease, and one of the first to examine whether effects differ between individual GLP-1 receptor agonists (via HealthDay).

Medical Community Urges Caution Ahead of Clinical Trials

Independent researchers caution that observational data derived from electronic health records can only identify statistical associations rather than prove direct causation. Marie Spreckley of the University of Cambridge emphasized via the Science Media Centre that it is too early to state that semaglutide reduces or prevents asthma attacks and advised that patients should not seek semaglutide specifically for asthma or change their existing asthma treatment because of these findings.

Study authors echoed these warnings, stressing that patients must not alter their current medication regimens based on the presentation. Chloe Bloom stated that the findings from this study are encouraging, but they should not change treatment decisions on their own and reiterated that people with asthma or COPD should not start GLP-1 receptor agonists specifically for their lung condition outside current prescribing guidance (according to the European Respiratory Society). Further verification through randomized controlled trials will be required to establish whether the medications provide a reliable therapeutic benefit for respiratory conditions.