Hormonal
Patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists or dual GIP/GLP-1 agonists should continue these medications through the peri-operative period rather than withholding them, as evidence suggests withholding is insufficient to reduce aspiration risk.
If you take a GLP-1 or GIP/GLP-1 drug (like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Trulicity) for your upcoming elective surgery, do NOT stop taking it. Stopping it for a week or even three weeks does not guarantee your stomach is empty and may not reduce aspiration risk. Instead, tell your anesthesia team you are taking it so they can use specific techniques (like ultrasound or specific intubation methods) to keep you safe.
Patients taking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide receptor agonists should: continue these drugs before surgery... Recent data even suggest that withholding GLP-1 RAs for up to three weeks is also associated with increased gastric volume.
Why this rating
Based on a multidisciplinary consensus statement using a modified Delphi process due to a 'dearth of high-quality evidence' and 'conflicting data'.
Source
Elective peri‐operative management of adults taking glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists, glucose‐dependent insulinotropic peptide agonists and sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors: a multidisciplinary consensus statement
Kariem El‐Boghdadly et al. · Anaesthesia · 2025
DOI 10.1111/anae.16541
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