Studies Link Popular Diabetes and Weight-Loss Medications to Increased Risk of Stomach Paralysis

Recent studies have found that popular diabetes and weight loss medications, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, are linked to an increased risk of developing stomach paralysis, or gastroparesis. This condition weakens the stomach muscles, causing food to remain in the stomach for extended periods. While Wegovy is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight management, Ozempic is approved to help patients with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.

However, Ozempic is sometimes prescribed for weight loss, despite not being FDA-approved for this purpose. Both Wegovy and Ozempic are injections containing the protein semaglutide, which mimics the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). GLP-1, released in response to meal intake, primarily promotes insulin production.

While these medications, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists or GLP-1 analogues, are recognized for causing gastrointestinal (GI) side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, new studies reveal that less common side effects, such as stomach paralysis (gastroparesis), ileus, and acute pancreatitis, are also occurring.

According to a report of PTI, The studies were presented at Digestive Disease Week 2024, a conference conducted from May 18-21 in Washington DC, US. One of these studies conducted by researchers, including those from the University of Kansas, identified 1.85 lakh patients with diabetes or obesity who were prescribed GLP-1 analogues between December 1, 2021, and November 30, 2022.

Approximately 0.53 percent of patients were found to develop gastroparesis, with the research team estimating a 66 percent increased risk of this condition. Cholecystitis, or inflammation of the gall bladder, was observed in 0.55 percent of patients, with an estimated 28 percent increased risk.

The study's authors also discovered that 0.04 percent of patients prescribed GLP-1 analogs developed drug-induced pancreatitis, with an estimated risk increase of over 350 percent. Additionally, they found that 9 percent of patients experienced a significantly higher incidence of nausea and vomiting, while 7.5 percent had a higher incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition where stomach contents move up the esophagus.

The study results indicated that "the use of GLP-1 agonists in patients with diabetes mellitus and obesity is associated with GI side effects, including nausea, vomiting, gastroparesis, GERD, esophagitis, drug-induced pancreatitis, cholecystitis, and the need for upper endoscopy," according to the authors. This study is currently available as an abstract.

A second study evaluated the risk of gastroparesis in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists (RA). More than 336,000 patients were included in each of the two cohorts—one group receiving the medication and the other not.