According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 1 in 8 adults has taken Ozempic or another GLP-1 drug.
Semaglutide, originally prescribed for diabetes, has become the world’s most popular weight loss injectable.
GLP-1’s and Surgery
I have talked about GLP-1 drugs before, and the importance of stopping GLP-1 medications before surgery to avoid serious complications.
List of GLP-1 Medications
Medical publications often use the generic GLP-1 when writing about these drugs. A common reason is so as not to show a commercial bias; however, this makes it harder for you to know which drugs they are talking about, and there are many. Next is a list of the common GLP-1 brand name medications. I have listed the brand name first, as you have probably seen the ads on TV, and the generic name in parenthesis. Some are weekly injections. Some are daily or twice daily pills.
- Trulicity (dulaglutide) weekly
- Byetta bcise (exenatide extended release) weekly
- Byetta (exenatide) twice daily
- Victoza (liraglutide) daily
- Saxenda (liraglutide) daily
- Adlyxin (lixisenatide) daily
- Ozempic (semaglutide) weekly
- Rybelsus (semaglutide) daily
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide) weekly
These drugs all slow the emptying of the stomach, and an empty stomach is important prior to surgery to prevent serious complications.
Why GLP-1 Medications are Prescribed
According to the KFF Survey, about one in eight adults (12%) say they have ever taken a GLP-1 agonist including 6% who say they are currently taking such a drug. Most adults who have taken GLP-1 drugs say they took them to treat a chronic condition including diabetes or heart disease (62%), while about four in ten say they took them primarily to lose weight. More details are available in the article linked at the top of this post.
The Cost of GLP-1 Medications
The KFF Survey also addresses the high cost of GLP-1 drugs.
About half (54%) of all adults who have taken GLP-1 drugs say it was difficult to afford the cost, including one in five (22%) who say it was “very difficult.” While most insured adults who have taken these drugs say their insurance covered at least part of the cost, even among insured adults about half (53%) say the cost was difficult to afford.
While 8% of adults ages 65 and older say they have taken a GLP-1 medication for a chronic condition, just 1% say they have ever taken a GLP-1 drug to lose weight, which may reflect Medicare’s lack of coverage for prescription drugs used for weight loss. Nearly four in ten (37%) adults ages 65 and older report being told by a doctor they are overweight or obese in the past five years.
With Medicare currently prohibited by law from covering prescription drugs used for weight loss, six in ten adults say they think Medicare should cover the cost of these drugs when prescribed for weight loss for people who are overweight.
GLP-1 Medication Information
As a plastic surgeon, I am often asked to tighten skin after the weight loss that GLP-1 medications encourage. Tummy Tucks are the most frequently requested surgery after weight loss. As a result, I have had to become familiar with both the advantages and disadvantages of this unique class of drugs. It is equally important for patients to know the pros and the cons. Hopefully this article provides another step forward in the direction of safe and predictable plastic surgery.
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