Injection-site reactions (including bruising, discoloration and induration) occurred in 0.6% of participants in phase 3 studies with semaglutide. These were not considered severe or a reason to withhold therapy. Semaglutide San Diego reduced weight and improved glycemic control, lipid levels, cardiovascular risk factors.
In addition to lowering blood glucose levels, Semaglutide also helps patients lose weight. It does so by blocking the secretion of glucagon from pancreatic islets, which leads to decreased hunger and food intake. It also suppresses the production of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite and increases fat storage in the body. Semaglutide has been shown to significantly reduce the number of calories ingested per day, leading to weight loss.
One study found that individuals taking the once-a-week pill for six weeks lost an average of 15 pounds. The drug can be accessed legally through a prescription from your doctor. It can be paired with other diabetes medications, and it is recommended that you speak to your primary care physician about your personal medication needs.
Celebrities who use semaglutide have made it a popular choice for people looking to lose weight. Although the pills have been around for a while, the media’s attention to these stars has increased their popularity and helped normalize their use. However, it’s important to remember that weight loss is only one aspect of a healthy lifestyle. Semaglutide should be used in combination with diet and exercise to achieve the best results.
Some users report reduced cravings, which allows them to break free of unhealthy eating patterns and stop reverting to high-calorie foods. Others say they have more energy to do daily activities, which in turn can lead to better health outcomes. In the long run, semaglutide may also improve cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.
It is important to remember that any weight loss with Semaglutide will come at a cost of lean mass, including muscle and water weight. This can decrease your basal metabolic rate and make it more difficult to maintain your weight loss. In addition, weight loss with Semaglutide can cause side effects such as nausea and constipation.
Semaglutide is a type of glucagon-like peptide (GLP) that’s been used for more than 20 years to treat type 2 diabetes. It can help prevent complications like heart disease, stroke and kidney failure by reducing blood glucose and suppressing appetite. It also reduces the risk of gastrointestinal issues, such as vomiting and diarrhea. The most effective dose is 2.4 milligrams, and it’s given weekly as subcutaneous injections.
Glycemic control
When used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, semaglutide has the potential to improve glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes. The drug reduces blood sugar by inhibiting the release of glucose from the liver. This helps prevent spikes and dips in blood sugar levels, which can cause hypoglycemia. Additionally, it promotes weight loss by decreasing calorie intake and increasing physical activity.
Compounded semaglutide is available through select pharmacies that specialize in compounding medications. These pharmacies follow strict quality standards and regulations to ensure the medication’s safety and efficacy. They can also add other ingredients, such as cyanocobalamin, to customize the compound for each patient’s unique needs. The FDA must approve any mass-produced medication, but compounded semaglutide is not subject to these requirements because it’s not manufactured on an industrial scale.
GLP-1 receptor agonists are associated with a decreased risk of pancreatitis, but the likelihood increases with higher doses and longer durations of use. To minimize the risk, patients should take the medication only as directed and inform their doctor if they have a history of pancreatitis or gallbladder disease. Additionally, they should drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol and other alcoholic beverages while taking the medication.
During the phase 3a STEP development programme, semaglutide was initially developed as a once-weekly subcutaneous (s.c.) injection for weight management in adults with T2DM and at least one additional comorbidity. The SUSTAIN programme showed that the 1.0 mg dose of semaglutide significantly reduced HbA1c, showing superiority over comparators, and helped up to 80% of participants reach their target goal (Extended Data Fig. 2).
Similarly, the 2 year-long STEP 5 study compared the long-term efficacy of once-weekly s.c. semaglutide 2.4 mg to placebo in combination with behavioral therapy in adults with T2DM with one or more comorbidities. The study demonstrated that semaglutide significantly reduced body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors, with a similar safety profile to oral semaglutide. However, the AE profile is not yet fully elucidated as a result of differences in the drug formulation and dose and the route of administration.
Cardiovascular risk reduction
The cardiovascular (CV) benefit of GLP-1 receptor agonists has been the focus of considerable interest, particularly since certain agents have shown substantial weight loss and have been shown to reduce a number of CV risk factors. Semaglutide is the most studied GLP-1 receptor agonist, with the SELECT trial showing a 20% relative reduction in MACE risk when added to standard care vs placebo. Full results of the study, however, showed that the lower risk with semaglutide was driven by CV benefits and not by weight loss.
In the pooled SELECT data, which included both CVOTs and glycemic efficacy trials, semaglutide significantly reduced the annual rate of MACE vs comparators across a wide range of baseline CV risk categories, with absolute risks reductions greater for those at higher risk. This was true regardless of whether s.c. or oral semaglutide was used and for both the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 ) inhibitor and the exenatide analogue.
This benefit was attributed to several effects of the drug, including improving cardiometabolic markers such as body weight, systolic blood pressure (SBP), total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol; lowering fasting glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c); and suppressing hepatic gluconeogenesis. Semaglutide is also thought to improve incretin function, increase insulin secretion and reduce postprandial glycemia via inhibition of glucagon release.
Interestingly, the benefit was observed in patients with and without diabetes, suggesting that GLP-1 receptor agonists may offer a potential new treatment for pre-diabetes and nondiabetics. The benefits also occurred early, before significant weight loss was achieved, which raised questions about how the CV benefit might be mediated and what impact on non-CV disease processes the medication might have.
To further evaluate the robustness of these findings, a statistical model was used to compare the performance of semaglutide with other CVOTs. The model performed well, with a Harrell’s C-statistic of 0.89 and 0.96 when applied to the overall data set or to CVOTs only, respectively. The model was also found to be applicable to the individual trials, with good predictive performance when evaluated by ROC curves, sensitivity analyses and the Schwartz Bayesian information criteria.
Adverse events
While semaglutide is a safe and effective treatment for type 2 diabetes, it can cause some side effects. These include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration. However, these symptoms should go away as your body adjusts to the medication. If you have severe side effects, talk to your doctor about changing your dosage or using different medications.
A real-world pharmacovigilance study analyzed data from the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) to quantify gastrointestinal adverse events associated with semaglutide. It compared the incidence of serious and non-serious gastrointestinal AEs in patients receiving semaglutide and those with placebo. It also analyzed the clinical characteristics of gastrointestinal AEs, such as time to onset and symptom severity.
Moreover, the study examined the risk of developing hepatobiliary disorders, such as pancreatitis and gallstones, in the semaglutide group. It found that the frequency of these hepatobiliary disorders increased with increasing age in both the placebo and semaglutide groups. However, these findings are not necessarily due to the use of the drug; they could be due to the underlying comorbidities in both groups.
In addition, the study examined whether a slower dose escalation is necessary for older patients with comorbidities. The results showed that a slower dose escalation reduces the risk of these AEs in the elderly population. Additionally, it allows physicians to monitor the patient’s response to the drug more closely.
Semaglutide can interact with certain drugs, including antidepressants, nitric oxide synthase inhibitors, and clopidogrel. These interactions may increase the chance of bleeding or heart attack. It can also increase the risk of infection or blood clots. It is important to tell your doctor about any other medications you are taking before you begin taking semaglutide.
Another common side effect of semaglutide is injection-site reactions. These can include bruising, pain, and discoloration of the skin. However, these are not considered serious and do not require medical attention. Nevertheless, it is essential to discuss any changes in your diet or exercise with your healthcare professional before you start taking semaglutide. This will help you prevent any unwanted effects from developing.
