The risks of pancreatitis and intestinal obstruction were also noted, but were already known
Drugs commonly used to fight obesity have been linked for the first time to an increased risk of stomach paralysis, according to a University of British Columbia study. An increased risk of pancreatitis and intestinal obstruction was also noted, but was already known. They are also included in the drug leaflet.
According to the work, published Thursday 5, in Journal of the American Medical AssociationAdverse effects were found in people who were not diabetic but were using the drug to lose weight.
The drugs were originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, but are also indicated for weight loss. They work by inducing insulin production, blocking sugar production in the liver, and providing a feeling of satiety.
“We have heard reports of people having a lot of nausea, vomiting 15 to 20 times a day when they started taking one of these drugs, but an epidemiological study has not yet been done for non-diabetics,” said Mahyar Etminana, co. -author of the study, in interview. “The fact that we found that the drugs increase the risk of gastroparesis (stomach paralysis) in people who use these drugs to lose weight is in line with what these people have experienced.”
The researchers worked with prescriptions from 16 million U.S. patients who were prescribed two of the most popular drugs in the GLP-1 agonist class, semaglutide and liraglutide, between 2006 and 2020. Patients taking these drugs for type 2 diabetes were not included in the study. Work.
The researchers analyzed the patients’ medical records to find out how many had developed the following stomach problems: pancreatitis, bladder obstruction, gastroparesis and biliary disease. The medical histories of these patients were compared with those of others who had used bulboprion-naltexone (another class of drugs) for weight loss.
Patients taking drugs from the GLP-1 agonist class had a nine-fold increased risk of developing pancreatitis. In case of intestinal obstruction the risk was four times greater. The risk of stomach paralysis was three times greater. A slight increase in the risk of biliary disease was also found, but the researchers said it was “statistically insignificant.”
“These are relatively rare events,” admits Mohit Sodhi, co-author of the work. “But if we think that there are millions of people taking these drugs, even 1% means tens or even hundreds of thousands of people who could experience these symptoms.”
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
