This month’s new study is the latest to link the use of Ozempic, Wigovy and other GLP-1 drugs to an increased risk of gastroparesis, a potentially serious medical condition. So what exactly is gastroparesis? How worried should you be about gastroparesis if you’re taking or considering taking these medications?
gastroparesis It is simply defined as delayed gastric emptying. When food reaches the stomach, the stomach’s powerful muscles typically break it up into small pieces and push it into the small intestine with little effort. However, in people with gastroparesis, these muscles slow down or stop working completely (this is why it is also commonly referred to as gastroparesis), slowing down digestion.
Symptoms of gastroparesis vary, but include feeling full quickly while eating, nausea, vomiting, bloating, heartburn, and abdominal pain. The longer gastroparesis persists, the more serious symptoms are likely to develop, including severe dehydration, malnutrition, and unintentional weight loss. In some cases, the delay it causes can cause food to clump into solid masses known as bezoars, which can block the stomach and prevent it from reaching the small intestine, a life-threatening complication. There is a possibility that Others may have few or no symptoms.
Most cases of gastroparesis are considered idiopathic, with no clear cause. However, there are known risk factors for gastroparesis, such as diabetes and certain medications. And for many years, accumulate GLP-1 drugs are thought to be one of these risk factors. The latest research includes: 3 preliminary studies It was announced last weekend at Digestive Disease Week 2024.
Two of these studies found that people prescribed GLP-1 had a significantly higher risk of being diagnosed with gastroparesis compared to people not taking the drug. Meanwhile, a third study analyzed the health status of people prescribed her GLP-1 who later developed gastroparesis. Former patients also started a lawsuit Manufacturer of Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound.these A new generation of GLP-1 drugs It is significantly more effective in treating obesity than previous non-surgical treatments. The lawsuit alleges that taking these drugs caused serious complications, including gastroparesis.
An important point to consider here is that gastroparesis appears to be rare even in GLP-1 users. For example, one recent study by researchers at University Hospitals in Cleveland found that 0.1% of obese people prescribed GLP-1 drugs to lose weight developed gastroparesis more than six months later. compared to 0.04% in similarly adapted patients. GLP-1 is not prescribed. This rarity may also help explain why clinical trials of these his GLP-1 drugs failed to establish a link to gastroparesis. Because even if it were real, you would need to study many people to see a clear trend.
Anecdotally, physicians report that discontinuing GLP-1 usually helps relieve patients’ gastroparesis. continuation Symptoms persist long after the drug is stopped. It can be treated with dietary changes and certain medications, but severe or chronic cases may require more drastic interventions, such as: Tube feeding through intravenous drip or jejunostomya liquid diet is delivered through a tube inserted into the small intestine to bypass the stomach.
Currently, GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy do not contain labels that directly warn people about the potential risk of gastroparesis, but it is important to note that such drugs may slow gastric emptying and may cause other drugs to It is stated that it may affect the absorption of However, as more evidence comes to light, it is certainly possible that the FDA will require updated information to disclose this risk.Last fall, the agency mandated Following reports of adverse events, Ozempic’s label was changed to mention the potential risk of ileus or intestinal obstruction, but stopped short of confirming that ileus was a side effect.
So far, gastroparesis has also been suspected as a side effect of GLP-1 use, but this has not been confirmed. And while it may be rare, it is certainly a complication that doctors and patients must be aware of while taking these drugs.
