Overview
Ozempic is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an adjunct (add-on) to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control (blood sugar control) in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is also approved to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular (heart) events, such as cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke, in adults with type 2 diabetes who are at high cardiovascular risk, and to reduce the risk of worsening kidney disease and cardiovascular death in certain adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Ozempic may be prescribed when diet and exercise alone, or in combination with other diabetes medications, do not adequately control blood sugar levels. Ozempic is also known by its drug name, semaglutide.

Ozempic is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. Scientists believe it works by increasing insulin release when blood sugar levels are high, reducing the amount of glucose released by the liver, and slowing stomach emptying, which together help lower blood sugar levels.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Ozempic is available in two formulations: an oral tablet and a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection, which have different dosing schedules and administration instructions and are not interchangeable on a milligram-to-milligram basis.

For the oral tablet, Ozempic is taken once daily by mouth on an empty stomach in the morning with water only. After taking the tablet, a person must wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking beverages, or taking other oral medications.

For the injectable form, Ozempic is administered once weekly as a subcutaneous injection in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm, with or without meals. The dose is started at a low level and increased gradually over several weeks if additional glycemic control is needed.

Both forms of Ozempic should be taken exactly as prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Side effects
Common side effects of Ozempic include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, decreased appetite, and constipation. These gastrointestinal side effects are most likely to occur when starting treatment or increasing the dose.

Rare but serious side effects may include pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), particularly when used with insulin or insulin-stimulating drugs, diabetic retinopathy complications (worsening diabetes-related eye disease), acute kidney injury (sudden worsening of kidney function) related to dehydration, severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions, gallbladder disease such as cholelithiasis (gallstones) or cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation), serious hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) and angioedema (swelling under the skin), pulmonary aspiration (breathing stomach contents into the lungs) during anesthesia or deep sedation, and a potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (a rare type of thyroid cancer).

For more information about this treatment, visit:
Ozempic Semaglutide Injection — Novo Nordisk

Rybelsus (Semaglutide) Tablets, for Oral Use; Ozempic (Semaglutide) Tablets, for Oral Use — Novo Nordisk