Long-term use of popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could put some patients at an elevated risk for a potentially fatal gastrointestinal condition that requires surgery, researchers out of China contend in a newly published journal article.
Such drugs, injected weekly, mimic a hormone produced in the intestines after meals, called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). It helps regulate appetite and food intake, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency approved Wegovy in 2021 for weight management in adults with obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and/or high cholesterol. It’s intended to be used in conjunction with dieting and exercise. The FDA approved Ozempic as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes in 2017.
