On July 17, KENS5 reported on a woman who was taking Wegovy, a GLP-1, regularly for weight loss but was not made aware of the potential negative interactions leading up to a bronchoscopy.
Chaplain Treanor, the patient, went into her procedure having taken Wegovy days before, according to the report.
Ozempic is FDA-approved for diabetes treatment and Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight loss.
In 2023, the American Society of Anesthesiology released guidelines stating that GLP-1s should not be used at least a week leading up to surgery due to potential risks.
Luckily, Ms. Treanor’s anesthesiologist became aware that she was taking the drug and was able to perform the procedure safely. Because GLP-1s slow down gastric evacuation, there is a potential for food remaining in the patient's stomach if the drug is taken within a week of undergoing a procedure. This could lead to food passively traveling up the esophagus and into the lungs, leading to aspiration.
This re-emphasizes the importance of both patient honesty and follow up with their physicians in preparation for surgical procedures.
“Having the surgical staff educate the patients on this requirement leaves holes in the care coordination of the patient. For example, if the patient is on the GLP-1 medication for diabetes, they must follow-up with their primary care provider to discuss how to manage their diabetes for the week that they are off of the medication,” Jackie McLaughlin, BSN, RN, manager of surgical services, outpatient infusions and the pain clinic at Aspirus Howard Young Medical Center (Woodruff, Wisc.) told Becker's.
Ms. McLaughlin also noted that physicians should be wary of GLP-1s that patients may be taking that are not prescribed.
“Another factor that is concerning my staff are the patients that receive their GLP-1s from markets that are not regulated by the FDA, and therefore not prescribed by a physician. If the patient fails to disclose they are on this medication, there could be great risk to the patient,” she said.