Pulse in Focus Podcast: Weight loss drugs for CVD prevention; and the BMA’s GP collective action dilemma

The latest episode of Pulse in Focus: The Podcast for GPs unpicks the new guidance from NICE, recommending use of weight loss drug semaglutide (Wegovy) to prevent heart attack and stroke.

Pulse editorial adviser Dr Keith Hopcroft is joined by Professor Ahmet Fuat, honorary professor of primary care cardiology at Durham University and GP with extended role in cardiorenal medicine.

The pair discuss the evidence base behind the recommendation, what the roll out might look like, who is eligible, who will be responsible for managing care, and how it fits in with existing NICE guidance on treating patients with type 2 diabetes with SGLT-2 inhibitors.

Professor Fuat also considers whether semaglutide has the potential to go to be used as a prevention tool in the future, in the same way as statins and aspirin.

We round up our episode with editor Sofia Lind discussing where general practice stands following a referendum on the 26/27 GP contract, in which 98.9% rejected the Government’s imposed changes.

She tells senior journalist Maya Dhillon about ‘the difficult position’ she believes the GPC has put itself in, by threatening collective action by 30 April (unless the Government pauses its implementation of ‘mandatory’ A&G) as the committee will not want to miss out on negotiations about a new GMS contract with the health secretary.

Pulse in Focus: The Podcast for GPs is hosted on Buzzsprout but you can find it wherever you get your podcasts. Listen to the full episcode here.

Pulse provides an indispensable and comprehensive range of trusted content that meets the needs of all GPs, through its political and financial news, cutting-edge investigations, clinical updates or practical business advice. Last month, the podcast explored the changes introduced by the 2026/27 GP contract.