Stop taking Ozempic, Wegovy before surgery: Doctors

People with diabetes and weight loss medications such as Novo NordiskA must for Ozempic and Wegovy Stop taking them before it was Elective surgery To reduce the risk of serious health complications, a prominent group of doctors said.

the American Society of Anesthesiologistsan organization of more than 53,000 physicians working in the field of anesthesiology, were released Temporary routing This proposal late Thursday.

The guidelines are intended to help doctors manage patients taking those drugs who are scheduled to undergo elective surgeries, which are non-emergency procedures such as removal of kidney stones, joint replacement and plastic surgery.

The association said the guidance reflects concerns about delayed gastric emptying, or when food remains in the stomach for longer than usual. This is an effect of diabetes and weight loss drugs, which mimic a hormone produced in the gut called GLP-1 and ultimately suppress a person’s appetite.

Delayed stomach emptying can cause patients under anesthesia to experience nausea, vomiting, and aspiration, which is when a person accidentally breathes food into their lungs instead of swallowing it, according to the ASA. That’s why they are usually sick Required for fasting Before undergoing anesthesia for the procedures.

In the guidance, the group’s president, Dr. Michael Champeau, said the ASA has received anecdotal reports from across the United States that patients who take the drugs during general anesthesia and deep sedation may be at increased risk of those “serious” complications.

Ozempic and Wegovy already linked With stomach problems such as diarrhea and constipation. But Champeau acknowledged that there is still a lack of scientific data on exactly how anesthetics interact with those drugs, also known as GLP-1s.

almost everyday 60 thousand people Throughout the country, you receive general anesthesia or medication given for pain relief during surgeries and other procedures.

It’s unclear how many people take GLP-1 drugs every day, but they have skyrocketed in popularity over the past year for being considered “miracles” for weight loss. Now, Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy are experiencing nationwide shortages. They also face increased competition from similar treatments such as Eli Lillymonjaro.

With guidance from the ASA, people who take GLP-1 medications on a daily basis should skip treatment on the day of elective surgery. The group said that those taking GLP-1s weekly should stop treatment a week before a scheduled surgery.

Prior to surgery, physicians should consider consulting with an endocrinologist for guidance regarding patients taking GLP-1s for diabetes.

The group also said that doctors should consider delaying a patient’s procedure if that person is experiencing nausea, vomiting, flatulence or pain on the day of the scheduled procedure.

If a patient does not have any of these symptoms but does not stop their GLP-1s before surgery, doctors should consider using an ultrasound to check if they have a “full stomach.”