Ozempic

Ozempic (semaglutide) is a prescription medication used to manage type 2 diabetes and help in weight loss. It belongs to the GLP-1 receptor agonist class, which helps regulate blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin release, slowing digestion, and reducing appetite.

Ozempic: What is it?

The injectable prescription medication Ozempic (semaglutide) injection 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg is used:

Along with diet and exercise, adults with type 2 diabetes can improve their blood sugar (glucose) to lower their risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attacks, strokes, or death if they have heart disease. They can also lower their risk of kidney disease worsening, kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease), and cardiovascular disease-related death if they have type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
The safety and efficacy of Ozempic in children are unknown.

What is Ozempic’s Mechanism?

Ozempic lowers blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes in several ways. In patients with both diabetes and heart disease, the medication also reduces heart-related risks.

The following are the methods the medication accomplishes this:

• Ozempic functions similarly to GLP-1, a hormone that is naturally generated. Ozempic helps in stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas by activating GLP-1 receptors in the brain.
• Ozempic slows down the passage of food through your stomach, much like the GLP-1 hormone does. You feel fuller for longer as a result of this. As a result, it prevents a sudden spike in blood sugar levels and might reduce appetite.
• To prevent your blood sugar levels from rising too high after a meal, your body has to produce more insulin. One hormone that reduces blood sugar is insulin.
• It reduces the quantity of sugar that is released into your blood.

What is the purpose of Ozempic?

The main purpose of the prescription drug Ozempic (semaglutide) is to treat type 2 diabetes in adults. In individuals with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, this FDA-approved drug lowers cardiovascular risks and helps control blood sugar levels.

Ozempic also lowers the risk of kidney failure, deterioration in kidney function, and cardiovascular disease-related death in patients with type 2 diabetes and Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD).

Using an autoinjector (pen), this medication is administered once a week under the skin of the upper arm, thigh, or stomach (belly).

On December 5, 2017, the FDA approved Ozempic. Ozempic generic does not exist. Novo Nordisk manufactures the many brands of semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelus, and Wegovy), each of which has FDA approval for a unique condition.

What is the price of Ozempic?

Cost may be a consideration when thinking about Ozempic, regardless of your health insurance status. Several factors, including your treatment plan and the pharmacy you use, may affect how much you pay for Ozempic.

Information on Dosage

To lower the possibility of gastrointestinal adverse effects, Ozempic should be begun at a low dosage. Keep in mind that blood sugar levels cannot be effectively controlled with a dose of 0.25 mg.

• 0.25 mg SC once per week throughout weeks one through four.
• 0.5 mg SC once weekly throughout weeks five through eight.
• After four weeks, if blood sugar levels cannot be controlled with 0.5 mg SC, raise to 1 mg SC once weekly.

Increase to 2 mg SC once a week if blood sugar levels cannot be controlled on 1 mg SC after 4 weeks.

Maximum amount of medication

• Don’t take more than 2 mg SC once a week.
• The normal dosage for maintenance is 0.5–2 mg once every seven days.

Ozempic comes in a variety of strengths and can be administered as single-patient injections.

• Provide 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg per injection at a rate of 2 mg/1.5 mL (1.34 mg/mL).
• One milligram per injection is delivered by 4 mg/3mL (1.34 mg/mL); two milligrams per injection are delivered by 8 mg/3mL (2.68 mg/mL).

Ozempic Treatment Advantages

• Blood sugar regulation and a decrease in HbA1C
• Strong support for weight loss
• Reduced chance of stroke and heart attack
• Better cardiovascular health in individuals with type 2 diabetes
• improves cardiovascular outcomes and slows the progression of renal disease in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Your average blood sugar level over the previous two to three months is measured by your HbA1C.

Two significant advantages of Ozempic use in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease were discovered during a clinical trial (FLOW phase 3b):

• 24% less chance of their renal disease worsening
• 4.9% decreased chance of dying from cardiac issues.

Ozempic isn’t officially approved for weight loss, but it can help you lose weight because it contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist that slows down digestion and prolongs sensations of fullness.

FDA-approved medications and indications

The FDA has formally authorised Ozempic for the following:

• Control of blood sugar (glucose) in persons with type 2 diabetes, in conjunction with nutrition and physical activity
• lowering the risk of serious cardiovascular events (such heart attacks, strokes, or fatalities) among persons with type 2 diabetes who already have heart disease
• Lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, renal failure, and worsening kidney disease in those with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

Ozempic promotes weight loss and, in clinical trials, helps people sustain their weight loss when combined with diet and exercise.

WARNING: Ozempic is not authorized for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, and its potential for usage in patients with pancreatitis is unknown.

The safety and effectiveness of this medication in children younger than 18 years old are unknown.

Side effects of Ozempic

Common adverse effects

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, constipation, Pain in the stomach, heartburn, burping, gas, bloating, loss of appetite, runny nose or sore throat, headache, dizziness, fatigue, and low blood sugar (in those with type 2 diabetes) are common Ozempic adverse effects.

Although they are prevalent, stomach or gastrointestinal side effects are usually modest, go away in a few weeks for most people, and don’t interfere with long-term treatment. Higher dosages may increase the likelihood of stomach adverse effects.

According to studies, 15% to 20% of persons experience nausea, the most frequent adverse gastrointestinal effect.

• Constipation (3%-7%), stomach-area pain (6% -7 %), diarrhoea (8%), and vomiting (5%-9 %) are other symptoms.
• Compared to the groups who received a placebo, which is an ineffective treatment, these side effects happened more frequently.

Compared to patients receiving a placebo (0.4%), more patients taking Ozempic 0.5 mg (3.1%) and 1 mg (3.8%) stopped taking the medication because of adverse gastrointestinal effects.

Usually, the onset of treatment and abrupt dose increases are when stomach side effects happen. As a result, until you achieve your desired dosage, your doctor will gradually raise your dosage every four weeks.

The term “ozempic face” refers to the obvious changes in certain people’s faces that occur when they take this medication. These alterations are the consequence of considerable weight reduction rather than a particular Ozempic adverse effect.

Advice for handling adverse effects in the stomach

You may be able to control stomach side effects by using these tips:

• Eat more slowly.
• Eat smaller portions.
• Choose more low-fat, bland foods (such as rice, bread, and crackers).
• Stay away from sugary snacks and oily, fried foods.
• Consume water-based foods (such as soup or gelatin).
• Avoid lying down immediately after eating.
• Consume clear or cold beverages.
• If you’re feeling nauseous, try to get some fresh air outside.

Serious adverse effects

In addition to increasing the risk of food or liquid getting into your lungs during surgery or other medical procedures, Ozempic can cause serious side effects like pancreatic inflammation, vision changes, low blood sugar, kidney problems, and severe allergic reactions.

Suppose you have symptoms of an allergic response, such as hives, itching, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, trouble breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or neck. you require emergency medical attention.

Make an immediate call to your healthcare professional if you have:

• Alteration of vision;
• Unexpected mood swings, suicidal thoughts;
• fluttering in your chest or thumping heartbeats;
• a sense of dizziness, as if you might faint;
• Symptoms of a thyroid tumour include a lump or enlargement in the neck, difficulty swallowing, a hoarse voice, and dyspnoea;
• signs of pancreatitis: rapid heartbeat, nausea with or without vomiting, and excruciating upper abdominal pain that radiates to the back;
• gallbladder issues, such as fever, clay-colored feces, upper abdominal pain, and jaundice (eye or skin yellowing);
• Low blood sugar—headache, weakness, hunger, perspiration, agitation, disorientation, lightheadedness, increased heart rate, or jitters;
• Renal issues, such as oedema, decreased urination, blood in the urine, fatigue, or dyspnoea
• Symptoms of the stomach flu include cramping in the stomach, vomiting, appetite loss, and diarrhea (which can be either bloody or watery).
• Ileus (stomach paralysis) symptoms include bloating, cramping or pain in the stomach, nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation, and appetite loss.

During surgery or other treatments requiring anaesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation), food or fluids may enter the lungs. When undergoing surgery or other operations, Ozempic may make it more likely that food will enter your lungs. Before you are scheduled for surgery or other procedures, let all of your healthcare providers know that you are taking this medication.

Precaution

Potential cancerous thyroid tumours. Thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer, were generated by Ozempic and related medications in rodent trials. It is unknown if Ozempic will result in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a kind of thyroid cancer, or thyroid tumors in humans.

Inform your doctor if you experience shortness of breath, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, or a lump or swelling in your neck. Thyroid cancer symptoms could include these.
If you have medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a kind of thyroid cancer, or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), an endocrine system disorder, you should not use this medication.

Semaglutide has been linked to ileus (stomach paralysis), according to postmarketing data. The frequency of these effects cannot be estimated because these reports are voluntary. If you have symptoms like bloating, cramping or pain in your stomach, nausea or vomiting, constipation or diarrhoea, or loss of appetite, consult your doctor.

Before using this medication

If you have an allergy to semaglutide or any of the other substances in this medication, or if you have any of the following conditions, you should not take it:

Either a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, a kind of thyroid cancer, or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (tumours in your glands).

To ensure the safety of this medication for you, let your doctor know if you:

• Have pancreatitis, a stomach or intestinal condition, or are preparing for surgery or another operation requiring deep sedation or anaesthesia.
• Have diabetes-related eye issues (retinopathy) and kidney damage.
• Are nursing or planning to breastfeed; are pregnant or planning to become pregnant; or both.

In trials on animals, this medication resulted in thyroid cancer or tumors. Whether these consequences might manifest in humans is unknown. Consult your physician about your risk.

Additionally, before beginning Ozempic, discuss potential side effects with your doctor.

A pregnancy

Ozempic’s potential to damage an unborn child is unknown. It is advised that you cease taking this medication at least two months before becoming pregnant; therefore, consult your doctor before doing so. Inform your doctor immediately if you do become pregnant while taking semaglutide.

By encouraging weight loss and improved blood sugar regulation, semaglutide may indirectly increase fertility.

If you intend to get pregnant or are already pregnant, discuss with your doctor the best strategy to manage your blood sugar.

Breastfeeding

Whether Ozempic enters your breast milk is unknown. When using this medication, you should discuss with your doctor how to feed your infant.

Best Practices and Safety

Management of Injection Sites

To avoid Ozempic injection site reactions:

• With every injection, rotate the injection sites.
• Don’t use the same location over and over again.
• If useful, keep a record of the injection sites.

Essential Safety Instructions

Keep in mind:

• Never share your pen, even if it has a fresh needle.
• Avoid combining insulin with Ozempic in the same injection.
• Insulin and this medication can be injected in the same body part, but the injection sites should be kept apart.

Lifestyle Considerations

For best outcomes:

• As desired, take Ozempic with or without food.
• Continue eating and exercising as directed.
• As instructed by your physician, keep an eye on your blood sugar levels.
• Keeping an eye on your treatment with routine checkups

The way your healthcare provider will use Ozempic will:

• Monitor the levels of your blood sugar.
• Regularly check your haemoglobin A1C.
• As necessary, modify your diabetes medication.
• When to Modify Treatment.

You may need to change your dosage because of the following:

• Variations in physical activity
• Changes in weight
• Levels of stress
• Disease or infection
• Operation
• Additional drugs
• dietary adjustments.

Emergencies

Indications of Possible Issues

When taking semaglutide, you should keep an eye out for and take care of the following:

• Low glucose levels (hypoglycemia)
• The condition known as hyperglycemia
• additional consequences of diabetes.
• Response to Emergencies

Should you suspect that you may have consumed too much Ozempic:

• Make urgent contact with your healthcare provider.
• If your symptoms are severe, visit the closest emergency clinic.
• Don’t forget to bring your prescription and health records.

FAQs

Reference

• Ozempic (semaglutide): Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing – WebMD. (n.d.). https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-174491/ozempic-subcutaneous/details
• Ms, M. G. R. (2024, October 29). Ozempic: Overview, how it works, and more. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/ozempic#dosage
• Dosing for Ozempic® (semaglutide) Injection. (n.d.). https://www.ozempic.com/how-to-take/ozempic-dosing.html