Illustration of Warning Issued for Weight Loss Drugs and Surgery: What You Need to Know

Warning Issued for Weight Loss Drugs and Surgery: What You Need to Know

The European Medicines Agency has advised individuals taking weight loss drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound to inform their doctors prior to undergoing scheduled surgery. This announcement, made on Friday, is aimed at reducing the risk of respiratory complications during surgery for patients on GLP-1 treatments.

The Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the agency has suggested new measures to mitigate these risks. GLP-1 drugs, which are used for diabetes and weight loss, mimic a hormone that regulates blood sugar and suppresses appetite. Prominent in this market are Novo Nordisk, the producer of Ozempic and Wegovy, and Eli Lilly, which makes Mounjaro and Zepbound.

Patients on GLP-1 drugs may face a higher risk of aspiration and pneumonia aspiration during anesthesia. Aspiration occurs when food or liquids are inhaled into the lungs instead of being swallowed, which can happen under anesthesia or deep sedation if stomach contents travel back to the throat.

The PRAC noted that these complications arise in approximately one in every 900 to one in 10,000 general anesthesia procedures. GLP-1 medications delay stomach emptying, so even if a patient fasts before surgery, there could still be food in their stomach, increasing the risk of aspiration.

Although the PRAC has not found a definitive causal link between GLP-1 drugs and aspiration, they recommend that healthcare professionals consider the effects of these medications when administering anesthesia. Consequently, product information for these drugs will be updated to include this warning.

Financial analysts at Morgan Stanley predict that the global market for GLP-1 drugs will grow to $105 billion by 2030, up from an earlier estimate of $77 billion. They also forecast that the adoption of these drugs will reach about 31.5 million people, or 9% of the U.S. population, by 2035.

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