The ever-rising popularity of GLP-1 medications is reshaping the landscape of bariatric surgeries — but experts say patients could be overlooking key factors when choosing between the two weight loss treatments.
GLP-1s
Telehealth companies selling low-cost, compounded versions of popular weight-loss drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy, are drawing increased interest from employers, Bloomberg reported Oct. 29.
Between 2022 and 2023, prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs soared 132.6% while bariatric surgery rates fell 25.6%, according to a new study from researchers at Boston-based Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Researchers have recently identified more potential uses for Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications, including treating opioid use disorder, alcohol use disorder and Alzheimer's disease.
Novo Nordisk's GLP-1 medication, Rybelsus, reduced major adverse cardiovascular events by 14% compared to a placebo in a phase 3 trial, the drugmaker said Oct. 21.
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Research led by a Northwestern Medicine team found that, despite higher upfront costs, bariatric surgeries offer two more quality years of life compared to GLP-1 therapies.
Hundreds of clinical trials are researching how drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro affect a plethora of conditions, Nature reported Sept. 25.
As the demand for GLP-1 drugs grows, there are several factors emerging that could result in its price decreasing.
Wegovy and similar medicines have the potential to significantly reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks in "clinically silent patients," according to research from Dandelion Health.
For nearly 3,400 patients with obesity, the average weight loss achieved with semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic) was more than twice that achieved with liraglutide (Saxenda and Victoza).