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In the United States, these two drugs have recently made the headlines of several local media. Several people were victims of significant side effects that led them to the emergency room.
Ozempic and Wegovy are drugs containing semaglutide, a molecule that lowers blood sugar by stimulating insulin secretion. These drugs mimic the action of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone that regulates appetite.
Misuse promoted on social networks
Ozempic is a drug for people with diabetes. But for several months, it has experienced unprecedented enthusiasm in several countries for one of its side effects: weight loss. It has been widely promoted by influencers on social media, leading to unwarranted prescriptions and shortages of the drug.
Wegovy injections are indicated for chronic weight management in obese or overweight adults with at least one weight-related disease (type 2 diabetes, hypertension, etc.), in addition to a low-calorie diet and appropriate physical activity. Currently in France, the use of this drug is restricted to patients with a BMI greater than 40 with a comorbidity.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea…
Recently, several American local media reported that taking these drugs had led several patients to the emergency room, because of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and in some cases constipation. . These would be people who took these drugs when they did not need them (only for the purpose of weight loss).
“Patients taking these drugs may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach aches, especially at the start of treatment or if doses are increased too quickly.”says Dr. Sahar Takkouche, an obesity physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee.
Some people are more prone to these side effects than others
Dr. Takkouche recommends that patients increase the doses of drugs gradually to avoid side effects. “It is important to start treatments with small doses so as to give the body time to get used to them, and to take them with a little food to avoid stomach aches”. These side effects are more likely to occur in people who already have stomach or kidney problems, and in older people, according to Dr. Takkouche.
As a reminder, these two drugs should not be taken without medical advice and supervision. They are safe if used for their approved indications (diabetes, obesity). Their misuse by people without diabetes, for the sole purpose of losing weight, represents a health hazard. In a press release published last March, the Medicines Agency (ANSM) recalled the risks associated with the misuse of Ozempic: “the‘Ozempic can cause potentially serious side effects, such as gastrointestinal upset, pancreatitis or low blood sugar“.