After we discuss GLP-1 drugs, we’re generally concerned about weight reduction or the drug’s unwanted effects (we’re taking a look at you, Ozempic butt). On the other hand, there’s some other subject worthy of dialogue: how those medicine have interaction with different commonplace drugs you could be on. Figuring out Ozempic drug interactions permit you to steer clear of ugly and once in a while critical penalties of mixing sure meds.. Right here’s what professionals need you to grasp.
4 essential Ozempic drug interactions to pay attention to
“When the use of Ozempic (semaglutide), a GLP-1 receptor agonist basically prescribed for managing sort 2 diabetes and weight reduction, it’s essential to keep in mind of possible interactions with drugs and dietary supplements,” confirms Jennie Stanford, MD, Weight problems Medication Doctor and scientific contributor for Drugwatch.
Right here we damage down the average Ozempic drug interactions you wish to have to learn about:
Different drugs that impact blood sugar ranges
Since Ozempic is formulated to decrease blood sugar, continue with warning for those who’re additionally taking different drugs for diabetes remedy, our professionals agree. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) might happen if Ozempic is paired with insulin or oral insulin-secreting medicine reminiscent of glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Glynase, Diabeta), glimepiride (Amaryl) and nateglinide (Starlix), explains Maria Pino, PhD, pharmacist and affiliate professor at New York Institute of Generation’s scientific college.
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“It’s important that sufferers stay diligent in tracking their glucose ranges all through the day and acknowledge the indicators of low blood sugar,” says Pino. “A blood sugar of not up to 70 mg/dL is regarded as delicate hypoglycemia in diabetics and might provide as sweating, anxiousness, excessive starvation and palpitations.”
Signs of reasonable hypoglycemia (blood glucose of 50-55 mg/dL) additionally come with dizziness and confusion, she provides. Serious low blood glucose (underneath 54 mg/dL) is a scientific emergency, which may end up in seizures if now not handled promptly, says Pino.
Positive antibiotics
Price noting: Insulin isn’t the one drug that may purpose doubtlessly critical interactions with Ozempic. Antimalarials (reminiscent of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine) and likely antibiotics (reminiscent of clarithromycin) too can irritate hypoglycemia, provides HaVy Ngo-Hamilton, PharmD, pharmacist and medical marketing consultant at BuzzRx.
Positive blood power drugs
Drugs together with atenolol, propranolol and metoprolol can doubtlessly masks signs of hypoglycemia reminiscent of tremors and speedy center fee, says Ngo-Hamilton, making it more difficult to spot low blood sugar.
Anticoagulants or blood thinners (warfarin)
Those drugs is also much less efficient when taken along Ozempic as a result of semaglutide slows abdomen emptying, explains Ngo-Hamilton.
“If absorption of blood thinners is negatively impacted, clots might shape within the blood, placing those sufferers at upper chance of deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in a deep vein, generally within the leg or calf), pulmonary embolism (blood clot in an artery of the lungs), center assault and stroke,” she cautions.
After all, those are critical well being headaches requiring pressing scientific consideration.
Ozempic will have interactions with OTC medicine, too
There also are extra commonplace OTC drugs that may building up the gastrointestinal unwanted effects of Ozempic.
Nonsteroidal anti inflammatory medicine (NSAIDs) reminiscent of ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin in addition to laxatives (bisacodyl, magnesium citrate) could cause gastrointestinal inflammation. Thismay be exacerbated through commonplace gastrointestinal unwanted effects of semaglutide reminiscent of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdomen ache and bloating, says Ngo-Hamilton.
What to do if you’re taking drugs that can have interaction with Ozempic
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Whilst drug interactions may also be alarming, most of the above drugs aren’t essentially off-limits with Ozempic. Y you must be aware of your frame and—most significantly—deal with an ongoing dialog along with your physician referring to protection measures and correct dosage.
“Most often, step one is figuring out if dosage adjustment of alternative drugs is viable,” affirms Ngo-Hamilton. “As an example, to cut back the chance of dangerously low blood sugar, your physician might select to cut back the dose of your diabetic drugs to account for the additional drop in blood sugar.”
If dosage adjustment isn’t an possibility, your healthcare supplier can imagine your scientific historical past and resolve if it could be conceivable to change one in all your drugs to at least one that makes use of a special mechanism of motion and is much less prone to have interaction with the GLP-1 agonist, she explains.
Moreover, they may be able to communicate to you about different choices to semaglutide—tirzepatide, liraglutide, dulaglutide, lixisenatide, exenatide, that could be simply as though now not extra appropriate to serving to you reach your well being objectives, she says.
This content material isn’t an alternative choice to skilled scientific recommendation or analysis. At all times seek the advice of your doctor prior to pursuing any remedy plan.
