Weight-Loss Drugs Ozempic, Wegovy Pose Life-Threatening Risks For Surgery And Anesthesia Patients: Expert Warns

Weight-loss medications Wegovy and Ozempic may cause life-threatening complications in patients needing surgical procedures, reports Fortune Well.

Patients using these drugs may face fatal consequences during surgery or other procedures requiring anesthesia. This is due to the drugs’ ability to slow digestion, which can lead to pulmonary aspiration – a condition where food and liquid are inhaled into the lungs while the patient is sedated. This can cause severe lung damage, infections, and even death, warns Dr. Ion Hobai, an anesthesiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

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Despite guidelines advising patients to stop consuming these drugs before surgery or sedation, anesthesiologists are reporting increasing cases of pulmonary aspiration. They suggest these drugs should be stopped for a longer period – about three weeks before sedation.

The manufacturer of both drugs, Novo Nordisk, denies that their products lead to aspiration, but acknowledges the drugs are known to cause delayed emptying of the stomach.

Dr. Hobai recommends patients inform their doctors about their use of these drugs before undergoing sedation and discuss potential risks.

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