In this photo illustration, a box of the diabetes drug Ozempic sits on the counter of a pharmacy on April 17, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Mario Tama | Getty Images
People who take diabetes and weight loss medications, such as Novo NordiskOzempic and Wegovy should stop taking them before owning elective surgery To reduce the risk of serious health complications, says a group of prominent doctors.
this American Society of Anesthesiologistsan organization of more than 53,000 physicians practicing anesthesiology, released the interim guidance The suggestion was made late Thursday.
The guidelines are designed to help physicians manage patients who are scheduled to undergo elective surgeries, which are non-emergency procedures, such as kidney stone removal, joint replacement and cosmetic surgery.
The ASA said the guidance reflected concerns related to delayed gastric emptying, or food staying in the stomach longer than usual. This is one of the effects of diabetes and diet pills, which mimic a hormone produced in the gut called GLP-1, which ultimately suppresses a person’s appetite.
According to the ASA, delayed gastric emptying can lead to nausea, vomiting and aspiration in patients receiving anesthesia, in which the patient accidentally draws food into the lungs instead of swallowing it.This is why patients usually need to fast before surgical anesthesia.
In the guidelines, ASA President Dr. Michael Champeau said the association had received anecdotal reports from across the United States that patients taking these drugs during general anesthesia and deep sedation may be at increased risk for these “serious” complications.
Ozempic and Wegovy are Already connected Suffering from stomach problems such as diarrhea and constipation. But Champeau acknowledged that there is still a lack of scientific data on exactly how the anesthetic interacts with these drugs, also known as GLP-1.
every day, about 60,000 people People across the country receive general anesthesia or pain-relieving drugs during surgeries and other procedures.
It’s unclear how many people take the GLP-1 drugs each day, but they’ve gained popularity over the past year for their weight-loss “miracles.” Now, Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy are both plagued by nationwide shortages.They also face increasing competition from similar treatments such as Eli LillyMonzaro.
People who take daily GLP-1 medication should skip the treatment on the day of elective surgery, according to ASA guidelines. Patients taking weekly GLP-1 should stop treatment a week before scheduled surgery, the group said.
Before surgery, physicians should consider consulting an endocrinologist for guidance in patients taking GLP-1 for diabetes.
The group also said doctors should consider postponing a patient’s procedure if they experience nausea, vomiting or bloating or pain on the day of the scheduled procedure.
If patients do not have these symptoms, but do not stop taking GLP-1 before surgery, doctors should consider using an ultrasound to check for “satiety” in them.
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