Hormonal
Tirzepatide (5-15 mg weekly) does not increase the risk of adjudication-confirmed pancreatitis compared to placebo, insulin, or GLP-1 receptor agonists, despite causing greater elevations in serum pancreatic amylase and lipase.
If you are prescribed Tirzepatide for weight loss or diabetes, do not panic if your blood tests show higher pancreatic enzymes. The data shows this is a common side effect of the drug's mechanism but does not translate to actual pancreatitis. Routine monitoring is still advised, but the risk of clinical pancreatitis is no higher than with other standard treatments.
Tirzepatide had identical risks of pancreatitis to placebo... Tirzepatide was also associated with comparable risks of pancreatitis to insulin and GLP-1RAs. However, tirzepatide (at all doses) caused greater increases in pancreatic amylase and lipase than placebo and insulin.
Why this rating
Based on 17 RCTs with 14,645 subjects, though heterogeneity was high for some enzyme comparisons.
Source
Pancreatic Safety of Tirzepatide and Its Effects on Islet Cell Function: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
A B Kamrul-Hasan et al. · Obesity Science & Practice · 2024
DOI 10.1002/osp4.70032
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