People should stop taking Ozempic, Wegovy obesity drugs before surgery, doctors group says

People connected diabetes and value nonaccomplishment drugs specified arsenic Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy should stop taking them earlier having elective surgery to trim the hazard of superior wellness complications, a salient radical of doctors said. 

The American Society of Anesthesiologists, an enactment of much than 53,000 physicians engaged successful anesthesiology, released interim guidance with that proposition precocious Thursday. 

The guidance aims to assistance doctors negociate patients connected those drugs who are scheduled to acquisition elective surgeries, which are non-emergency procedures specified arsenic kidney chromatic removal, associated replacement and cosmetic surgery. 

The ASA said the guidance reflects concerns related to delayed tummy emptying, oregon erstwhile nutrient sits successful the tummy for longer than usual. That's 1 effect of diabetes and value nonaccomplishment drugs, which mimic a hormone produced successful the gut called GLP-1 and yet suppress a person's appetite. 

Delayed tummy emptying whitethorn origin patients undergoing anesthesia to acquisition nausea, vomiting and aspiration, which is erstwhile a idiosyncratic accidentally breathes nutrient into their lungs alternatively than swallowing it, according to the ASA. That's wherefore patients are typically required to fast earlier undergoing anesthesia for procedures. 

The ASA has received anecdotal reports from crossed the U.S. that patients taking the drugs during wide anesthesia and heavy sedation whitethorn beryllium astatine accrued hazard of those "serious" complications, the group's president, Dr. Michael Champeau, said successful the guidance. 

Ozempic and Wegovy are already associated with tummy issues similar diarrhea and constipation. But Champeau acknowledged that determination is inactive a deficiency of technological information connected however precisely anesthesia interacts with those drugs, which are besides known arsenic GLP-1s.  

Each day, astir 60,000 people nationwide person wide anesthesia, oregon medicine administered for symptom alleviation during surgeries and different procedures. 

It's unclear however galore radical instrumentality GLP-1 drugs each day, but their popularity skyrocketed implicit the past twelvemonth for being value loss "miracles." Now, Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy are plagued by nationwide shortages. They besides look increasing contention from akin treatments similar Eli Lilly's Mounjaro. 

Under the ASA's guidance, radical taking GLP-1 drugs connected a regular ground should skip attraction connected the time of elective surgery. Those taking GLP-1s play should halt attraction a week earlier the scheduled surgery, the radical said. 

Prior to surgery, doctors should see consulting with an endocrinologist for guidance connected patients who instrumentality GLP-1s for diabetes. 

The radical besides said doctors should see delaying a patient's process if that idiosyncratic experiences nausea, vomiting oregon abdominal bloating oregon symptom connected the time of their scheduled procedure. 

If a diligent has nary of those symptoms but did not halt utilizing GLP-1s earlier the surgery, doctors should see utilizing ultrasound to cheque if they person a "full stomach."