How do Ozempic and Wegovy work for weight reduction?
Ozempic and Wegovy are each made by the identical firm, Novo Nordisk, and each have the identical lively ingredient: semaglutide.
Semaglutide mimics the impact of a hormone referred to as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which instigates insulin manufacturing – therefore its use as Ozempic as a diabetes therapy.
However, that very same hormone additionally works as an urge for food suppressant, resulting in Ozempic’s off-label use for weight reduction, in addition to the creation of Wegovy, which comprises a bigger dose of semaglutide.
“The Ozempic dose is one milligram. The Wegovy dose is 2.4 milligrams,” Professor John Dixon from Swinburne University’s Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute informed 9news.com.au.
“It’s a larger dose because it’s been shown that a larger dose produces better weight loss, and in obesity, we’re really looking for that substantial weight loss.”
While the hormone solely lasts a couple of minutes when produced naturally, the medicine are in a position to mimic it for for much longer.
“It actually lasts, in the case of Wegovy, for weeks, so in fact, the half-life is very, very long, and only requires a weekly injection,” Dixon stated.
He stated that whereas Ozempic has been proven to result in weight lack of round 8 per cent, Wegovy’s outcomes are nearer to fifteen per cent.
Why are weight reduction medicine gaining reputation?
Promotion on social media and rumours of celebrities utilizing Ozempic sparked the recognition of the drug as a weight reduction therapy.
But Dixon says there are critical the explanation why Wegovy must be thought of a “breakthrough” – at the start is a much-needed therapy for weight problems that does not contain surgical procedure or just counting on altering food regimen and train patterns.
“Most of what the public thinks about obesity are myths, not truths,” he stated.
“Diet and exercise really have little or no effect in the vast majority of people who live with obesity. Diet and exercise are not very effective.
“If we take a look at people who find themselves overweight and might get weight off – 5, 10, 15 per cent of it off and hold it off – they’re a tiny group of individuals.
“For people who are overweight and have not-so-bad obesity, it may be 5 per cent of those in the community. For people who are bigger, it’s around 2 per cent.”
He says remedies like Wegovy supply an avenue for weight problems to be handled as a real medical situation somewhat than an issue of sufferers’ personal making.
“They’ve been stigmatised. They feel they’re not worthy,” Dixon stated.
“And they too believe it’s their fault. And nothing could be further from the truth.
“Most of it is genetic. Your predisposition to being lean is genetic, your predisposition to being overweight is genetic.”
What does the latest trial say about Wegovy?
In early August, Novo Nordisk announced a trial of more than 17,000 patients showed Wegovy reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events – which includes the likes of heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular death – by 20 per cent over five years.
Dixon described the trial results as an “completely seminal occasion”.
“This is the primary time we have ever had a drug designed to handle weight problems that truly proves that cardiovascular occasions are diminished and cardiovascular deaths are diminished,” he said.
“We’ve by no means actually had high quality proof in a randomised trial of this dimension that intentional weight reduction saves lives.”
What are the side effects of Wegovy?
Gastrointestinal issues are common in the early stages of treatment with Wegovy – Dixon points to the likes of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation, as well as the risk of gallstones and pancreatitis in rarer but far more serious cases.
However, he says the side effects can usually be well managed with good communication between the prescribing doctor and patient.
“The medicine which might be lasting longer and producing higher weight reduction have very related profiles of uncomfortable side effects – these typical gastrointestinal uncomfortable side effects – within the early weeks to months… and we deliver the dose up fairly slowly with respect to that,” he said.
“So they are a nuisance and there are comparatively few individuals who can not take the drug due to these uncomfortable side effects being overwhelming.”
When will Wegovy be available in Australia?
While Wegovy was approved by the TGA for use in Australia in early 2022, the treatment hasn’t been made available for use here by Novo Nordisk – at least not yet.
“It might arrive this 12 months, it might be early subsequent 12 months, however we might be seeing this drug come to Australia,” Dixon said.
He says the main issue isn’t about when it will arrive, but rather when it will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
“We have by no means ever had a weight reduction drug being offered by the PBS in Australia,” he said.
“And weight problems dominates the low socio-economic teams in our society… with no medicine on the PBS you may see that price is a significant situation and the individuals who have the worst ranges of weight problems are related to low-income individuals and folks with incapacity.
“So to provide any equity in really treating obesity as the disease with its complications that it is, we need this drag on the PBS.”
However, whereas its itemizing as a weight reduction therapy is up within the air, Dixon expects it to be listed nearly instantly for diabetes sufferers, highlighting what he says is a bias.
“The diabetes epidemic is driven by the obesity epidemic,” he stated.
“But diabetes does seem to be something that we treat seriously, and the deaths and the cardiac failure and heart attacks and the cancers related to obesity have never really struck a chord in Australia and never really been thought worthy of treatment.
Please word the data on this story is basic in nature. Please all the time seek the advice of your GP or well being skilled for recommendation that’s tailor-made to your particular well being considerations.
Source: www.9news.com.au
