Questions and answers about new anti-obesity drugs
A huge range of anti-obesity drugs continues to make headlines and dominate social media posts. There are many good reasons behind this, and not only that the new year increases our resolve to get rid of excess weight.
Anti-obesity drugs
The group of anti-obesity drugs — semaglutide (Wegovy), liraglutide (Saxenda), and tirzepatide (Zepbound) — is backed by scientific studies and startling testimonials from people who have lost up to 20 percent of their body weight.
Sure, that’s great, but there’s another side to the story; This is because there are still big questions surrounding these drugs, while some of the answers are complex.
• What are these drugs? In general, the anti-obesity drugs recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration belong to a class called “glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) receptor agonists.” These drugs mimic a hormone (glucagon-like peptide 1) that helps the body slow stomach emptying, control blood sugar levels, and suppress appetite—a combination that leads to weight loss.
One drug, Zibbond, mimics GLP-1, as well as a hormone called lucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which is thought to enhance the effects of GLP-1.
“Many say these anti-obesity drugs have changed their lives,” explained Dr. Carolyn Apovian, an obesity medicine specialist and director of the Center for Weight Management and Health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard University.
In addition to the above, these drugs significantly reduce the risk of death from heart-related causes in people who are overweight or obese, as well as heart disease (or both heart disease and diabetes, depending on the drug). Moreover, these drugs enhance the ability to exercise and increase the quality of life. In this regard, Dr. Apovian said: “Drugs may also affect the reward center in the brain, the part that enables you to eat chocolate cake even though you feel full. “These medications appear to dampen the reward response, which may also reduce addictive behaviors, such as cravings for alcohol, sugar, and nicotine.”
• Aren’t these diabetes drugs? It is worth noting here that the three anti-obesity drugs initially received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of diabetes only, under the following trade names: “Ozempic,” “Victoza,” and “Mounjaro.”
However, people who took these drugs noticed that they lost a lot of body weight. Later studies actually confirmed this effect. Which eventually led the Food and Drug Administration to approve them as weight-loss drugs, under new brand names: “Wegovi,” “Saxenda,” and “Zibond.” When used to combat overweight or obesity, these drugs are usually prescribed in higher doses than their counterparts prescribed to treat diabetes.
There are other older GLP-1 drugs approved to treat diabetes, such as dulaglutide (Trulicity), but their effect on weight is less effective.
• How are these drugs administered? Most of these new medications come in the form of injections that you give yourself on a daily or weekly basis. It can be carried inside an injector pen, which you use to inject your body into your abdomen or thigh area.
It is also available in tablet form, such as semaglutide (Rybelsus). However, it should be noted here that this drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in treating diabetes, but the administration has not yet approved it for weight loss.
In addition, other formulations of tablets are currently being tested.
side effects
• What are the side effects? Both anti-obesity and anti-diabetic formulas carry potential side effects. Common symptoms include feeling tired, nausea, vomiting, or constipation. Here, Dr. Apovian explained, these symptoms usually disappear within a few weeks.
In rare cases, the drugs may cause small intestine obstruction, stomach paralysis, or pancreatitis.
In this context, Dr. Apovian stated: “As far as I know, the side effects do not last, but rather disappear if you stop taking the drugs, but the long-term effects of taking the newer drugs are not yet known.”
• Who is a candidate for taking these drugs? These drugs are approved for weight loss purposes only in people who have been diagnosed with obesity (BMI of 30 or more) or a higher range of overweight (BMI of 27 to 29.9), who have a medical problem related to their excess weight, Such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol. However, of course, this did not prevent some people who do not meet these criteria from taking it.
Because these drugs are new, powerful, and subject to extensive study, recommendations about who should use them are expected to change over the coming years. Researchers are likely to identify new categories of people who may benefit from these drugs – or, conversely, people who may be more at risk of being harmed by their side effects.
• How long should these drugs be taken? Taking one of the new GLP-1 drugs is not a short-term solution. Once you start taking it, you must continue taking it indefinitely to ensure that you continue to reap the benefits associated with the drug. It should be noted that if you stop taking these drugs, you will regain weight.
In this context, Dr. Apovian warned that: “Overweight and obesity, like diabetes and high blood pressure, are two serious conditions that often require continuous treatment, which may extend for a lifetime. Here, there are no treatments that are sufficient to take only once.
It helps slow the rate of stomach emptying, control blood sugar, and suppress appetite
Costs and coverage
• How much do drugs cost? Of course, amazing results don’t come cheap. The cost of new drugs ranges between about $900 and $1,600 per month. You should not wait for insurance to cover it all. For its part, the American “Medicare” program does not cover anti-obesity medications, and its coverage of diabetes medications is partial at best, depending on your insurance plan.
On the other hand, private insurance will often pay for your diabetes medications, as long as you’ve tried other diabetes treatments without success. In this regard, Dr. Apovian explained that only about 20 percent to 30 percent of private insurance companies currently cover anti-obesity formulations.
Some manufacturers of GLP-1 drugs offer coupons with deep discounts, but many pharmacies do not accept them. You should be wary of discounted versions being promoted in online advertisements and elsewhere.
Regarding this matter, Dr. Apovian warned that these compounded medications are being imported from other countries, without supervision by the Food and Drug Administration, and there is no guarantee of their contents.
• Are these drugs available? What makes matters worse is that the feverish rise in the popularity of these drugs has today led to a shortage of them. Which makes it difficult to find. Regarding this, Dr. Apovian said: “The shortage is due to manufacturers not anticipating this level of demand,” adding that “more than 40 percent of Americans suffer from obesity.” Pharmaceutical companies did not anticipate how many people would want to use the drugs. “Companies are trying hard to provide adequate supplies at the moment we speak.”
Until you can accomplish that, and until more insurance companies cover the drugs or manufacturers are forced to lower prices (both of which are under discussion in Congress), many people with serious medical conditions will find themselves forced to forego even the most effective anti-obesity medications. that we have ever seen.”
* Harvard Health Letter – Tribune Media Services
2024-01-18 18:18:00
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