Hold the Ozempic before surgery, US doctors say
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[June 30, 2023]
By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO (Reuters) - People taking popular diabetes and weight loss drugs
such as Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy or Eli Lilly's Mounjaro should
temporarily stop taking them before having elective surgery to avoid
possible serious complications, the American Society of
Anesthesiologists (ASA) said on Thursday.
The group has received anecdotal reports from across the country that
patients taking the drugs may be at increased risk of vomiting and
aspirating food into the lungs and airways during general anesthesia or
deep sedation, Dr. Michael Champeau, president of the ASA, said in an
interview.
"This is a big deal because the aspiration of gastric contents - sucking
food that was in the stomach ... into your lungs - is such a
catastrophic complication," Champeau said.
That complication is why patients need to fast before surgery. "It's a
major concern for us," he said.
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The guidance involved a relatively new class of drugs known as
glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. The treatments can
help lower blood sugar levels, but they also delay stomach emptying,
which can decrease hunger and reduce the amount of food people eat, a
side effect that has made the treatments wildly popular as weight loss
medications.
Initial reports suggest that patients who have experienced gastric side
effects, such as nausea or vomiting, while taking GLP-1 agonists were
more likely to have increased residual food in their stomach, the group
said.
Champeau said the ASA has received numerous requests from members for
guidance in the past month about how to manage the problem in patients
who are now on GLP-1 agonists.
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![](../images/063023PIX/health21.jpg)
A pharmacist displays boxes of Ozempic,
a semaglutide injection drug used for treating type 2 diabetes made
by Novo Nordisk, at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, U.S. March
29, 2023. REUTERS/George Frey/File Photo
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Jun/30/images/ads/current/bennet_lda_010722.png) According to ASA's interim guidance,
issued on Thursday, people taking GLP-1 drugs on a daily basis
should skip treatment the day of the surgery. For those taking the
drug weekly, ASA recommends stopping treatment a week before the
scheduled surgery.
They caution that people who take the drugs for diabetes control
should consult their endocrinologist about any treatments that could
be used in the interim before surgery.
If patients have nausea on the day of surgery, physicians should
reschedule the procedure.
Champeau said the group's advice reflected the totality of the
available evidence and the potential risk to patients.
The ASA is calling for more research on the risks of these
treatments for patients who need anesthesia during surgery and would
consider writing formal guidelines as more evidence becomes
available.
The companies were not immediately available for comment.
(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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