Hormonal
GLP-1 receptor agonists delay gastric emptying, increasing the risk of pulmonary aspiration during anesthesia, necessitating specific perioperative holding periods or gastric assessment before elective surgery.
If you are taking a GLP-1 weight loss drug (like Ozempic or Wegovy) and need elective surgery, tell your surgeon and anesthesiologist immediately. These drugs slow down your stomach, which can cause dangerous aspiration during anesthesia. You may need to hold your medication for 1-3 weeks before surgery, or your surgery might be postponed until your stomach is empty. Do not skip doses without consulting your care team, as this can affect your blood sugar and weight management.
Increased attention has been turned to the safety of this class of medications in the perioperative period due to concerns of increased risk of aspiration due to delayed gastric emptying... The authors found residual gastric contents in 8 (24.2%) patients on semaglutide and 19 (5.1%) not taking semaglutide (P < .001).
Why this rating
Based on case reports, observational studies of endoscopy, and consensus guidelines from anesthesia societies.
Source
Glucagon-Like Peptide Receptor-1 Agonists Used for Medically-Supervised Weight Loss in Patients With Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: Critical Considerations for the Arthroplasty Surgeon
Nathanael D. Heckmann et al. · Arthroplasty Today · 2024
DOI 10.1016/j.artd.2024.101327
More from this paper
- GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide) produce clinically significant weight loss (8-24%) in obese patients, serving as an effective alternative to bariatric surgery for preoperative optimization in joint arthroplasty candidates.Good
- GLP-1 receptor agonists may provide direct anti-inflammatory and disease-modifying benefits to osteoarthritic joints, independent of weight loss, by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines and protecting chondrocytes.Moderate
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
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