World's Most Popular Weight Loss Drugs Ozempic & Wegovy Associated with Condition Causing Vision Loss

Summary: Semaglutide, Ozempic, or Wegovy is one of the most effective and popular weight-loss drugs. It is generally quite safe. However, a new study shows that its prolonged use may be associated with an increased risk of vision loss due to a rare condition called nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

 A new study suggests that Ozempic or Wegovy, the most popular weight loss drugs, may increase the risk of rare disorders leading to vision loss. This new study has found their use to be associated with a greater risk of developing nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

This information is not to raise panic but to remind us that medications, no matter how good, are not a replacement for lifestyle interventions and other non-pharmacological means of treatment.

Ozempic & Wegovy both are essentially the same thing. They contain the active ingredient semaglutide. Ozempic is mainly approved for diabetes treatment, whereas Wegovy is for weight loss in non-diabetic patients.

Semaglutide is not the first weight loss pill, but the most successful or popular to date. The reason for its popularity is that it is quite effective and yet safe. Unlike previous drugs that did not cause much weight loss and were associated with many side effects, Ozempic or Wegovy rarely causes severe side effects.

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Nevertheless, it is vital to understand that no drug therapy is entirely safe. These drugs commonly cause gastrointestinal issues like bloating and nausea. However, some of the rare side effects only become apparent when drugs become more popular. 

Since semaglutide/Ozempic/Wegovy has become so popular, many new concerns are emerging. These drugs are so much sought after that manufacturers are having trouble producing enough. 

What is good about these drugs is that patients need just one subcutaneous injection a week. They promote weight loss, help manage and prevent diabetes, lower the risk of blood pressure, and have a range of benefits for metabolic health. Studies show that they are also safe for prolonged use, like a year or two. Most people using these drugs can expect 10-15% of even greater weight loss, which is rarely achievable by other weight loss drugs.

However, concerns are being raised that their widespread use may pose certain health risks. Many health experts worry that people may start using these drugs instead of focusing on lifestyle interventions. Without lifestyle interventions, most people may regain body weight by discontinuing the therapy.

Now, we will come to our topic, which is the risk of vision loss with these drugs. NAION is a rare condition that affects just about 2.3 people in 100,000. Though the condition is rare, it causes irreversible vision loss in many. At present, there is no cure for the condition. 

This new study, published in one of the most reputed journals, JAMA Ophthalmology, analyzed the data of 16,827 patients. These were patients prescribed semaglutide to either control their diabetes or for weight loss. The researchers found that semaglutide increases NAION risk by more than four times in those after 36 months of semaglutide use. This risk was even greater in those prescribed semaglutide for weight loss and not living with diabetes.

Since NAION is a rare condition, these findings are not a reason to panic. Nevertheless, the study highlights that the drug can significantly increase the risk of rare disorders causing irreversible vision loss.

Of course, more studies are needed to fully understand the risk of NAION associated with the prolonged use of these drugs. Nevertheless, the study demonstrates that one should never consider drugs as a replacement for lifestyle interventions.

Source:

Hathaway, J. T., Shah, M. P., Hathaway, D. B., Zekavat, S. M., Krasniqi, D., Gittinger, J. W., Jr, Cestari, D., Mallery, R., Abbasi, B., Bouffard, M., Chwalisz, B. K., Estrela, T., & Rizzo, J. F., III. (2024). Risk of Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy in Patients Prescribed Semaglutide. JAMA Ophthalmology. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2024.2296