United States: In the past, semaglutide, which is found in the Ozempic and Wegovy, both drugs used for patients suffering from obesity and type 2 diabetes, can reduce the likelihood of pancreatitis, according to a trial.
Further Details
Until now, doctors have been wary of prescribing semaglutide for persons who have had prior episodes of pancreatitis since there was a chance that it could trigger a relapse, according to Dr. Mahmoud Nassar, a fellow at the University of Buffalo in New York, who conducted the study.
In the opinion of Nassar, such information as the warning of the potential risk of pancreatitis is presented on the insert manufactured by the companies.
Nassar added, “Our research highlights the safety and the potential for GLP-1 receptor agonists [like semaglutide] to reduce the risk of acute pancreatitis recurrence in individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes, challenging previous concerns and offering new hope for effective disease management,” as US News reported.
Study Methodology
The study analyzed data from over 638,000 patients with pancreatitis across 15 countries, with most participants from the United States.
Lingering events were identified in terms of the number of patients with pancreatitis again among those who began with either semaglutide or other drugs for diabetes and obesity within 15 years of the follow-up survey.
The other drugs include SGLT2 inhibitors, which are drugs that reduce the amount of glucose that is reabsorbed by the kidneys, and DPP4 inhibitors, which help the pancreas release more Insulin.
Of all the patients who enrolled in the study, approximately 15 percent of those undergoing semaglutide treatment would have developed pancreatic relapse, slightly lower than that of the SGLT2 inhibitor category and DPP4 category and higher than that of no-drug patients at almost 52 percent.
The survey was provided on Saturday at the Endocrine Society’s annual conference in Boston. Research reports discussed at conferences must be taken as just work in progress until they are published in a scientific journal.
Researchers’ Insights
According to Nassar, “This study provides critical insights that could change the treatment landscape for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, particularly those with a history of acute pancreatitis,” as US News reported.
He added, “The possibility of using GLP-1 receptor agonists more broadly offers hope for better managing these conditions, improving patient outcomes and enhancing the quality of life,” and, “It emphasizes the importance of personalized medicine, where treatment decisions are tailored to the individual’s specific health profile and needs.”