{"id":632102,"date":"2025-04-29T15:12:23","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T19:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=632102"},"modified":"2026-01-28T13:48:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T18:48:43","slug":"does-semaglutide-increase-heart-rate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/does-semaglutide-increase-heart-rate\/","title":{"rendered":"Does semaglutide (Ozempic) increase heart rate?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Semaglutide<\/span><\/a>, sold as brand names Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus, is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to improve blood glucose control in type 2 diabetes mellitus or for weight management. It works by enhancing insulin secretion, which slows gastric emptying, leading to decreased appetite and weight loss. According to medical experts, Ozempic can cause your heart rate to increase following administration, but it\u2019s a rare side effect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Semaglutide (Ozempic) and increased heart rate<\/span><\/h2>\n

Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, can increase heart rate due to its direct effects on the sinus node. The sinus node, or the sinoatrial (SA) node, is your heart\u2019s natural pacemaker\u2014a cluster of cells in the right atrium that generates electrical impulses that set the heart\u2019s rhythm and rate. Ozempic can stimulate this area of the heart, leading to a temporary increase in resting heart rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to increased heart rate, semaglutide\u2019s effects on cardiovascular function can reduce the risk of cardiac events. \u201cSemaglutide and other GLP-1 agonist drugs have consistently demonstrated improvement in cardiovascular functions,\u201d says Craig D. Robison, MD, a board-certified cardiologist at Tri-City Cardiology Consultants in Mesa, Arizona. \u201cThese drugs are associated with a decreased risk of stroke, heart attacks, and the development of heart failure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> involving patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity without diabetes found that a weekly semaglutide dose of 2.4 milligrams (mg) reduced the risk of death from cardiac events, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s crucial to note that increased heart rate is not a common side effect of semaglutide. \u201cAccording to the <\/span>SURE (SemaglUtide Real-World Evidence) program analysis<\/span><\/a>, about 16% of people experience an increased heart rate after two years on Ozempic, compared to 11% of people who were not on Ozempic in the same time frame,\u201d says Erika Gray, PharmD, founder of MytoolBox Genomics in San Francisco, California. \u201cAccording to the SUSTAIN 6 trial, the average increase in heart rate is between 2.75-3.2 beats per minute (bpm), which is clinically insignificant.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While the average heart rate increase is between two and three beats per minute, some individuals have experienced an <\/span>increase of up to 10 bpm<\/span><\/a> in resting heart rate after administering a 1.5 mg dose of semaglutide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Risk factors and considerations<\/span><\/h3>\n

Because semaglutide may increase resting heart rate, it may be an unsafe drug for some individuals. \u201cPatients with pre-existing heart failure who experience an increased heart rate with semaglutide and other GLP-1 agonist drugs are potentially at risk of their heart failure worsening,\u201d Dr. Robison explains. \u201cThese increases in heart rate are more pronounced in the longer-acting GLP-1 agonists such as semaglutide and tirzepatide.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from heart conditions, you should also avoid semaglutide if you have any of the following conditions or situations:<\/span><\/p>\n