What are specialists saying about Ozempic®?
These providers come from a range of specialties and clinical environments. But they have one thing in common: they see Ozempic® as an appropriate choice for patients with type 2 diabetes who are ready for intensification of therapy.
Coffee with Coco Series
Why I Prescribe Ozempic® with Dr Carolina Solis-Herrera
Endocrinologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine
Approaches to Injectable Therapy with Dr James R. Gavin III
Endocrinologist
The Role of Ozempic® in Cardiology with Dr Joshua M. Stolker
Interventional cardiologist
How Patient Support Can Help with Dr Jennifer Goldman
Endocrinologist
Ozempic® vs. Lantus
Ozempic® vs. Lantus with Craig Weirum, MD, FACE
Endocrinologist
Ozempic® vs. Trulicity
Ozempic® vs. Trulicity with Richard E. Pratley, MD
Interventional cardiologist
Duration: 20:19 Released: 02/25/2022
Why I Prescribe Ozempic®
with Dr Carolina Solis-Herrera
Nurse practitioner Lisa Coco and Dr Solis-Herrera talk T2D treatment algorithms, the SUSTAIN 7 study, and how their patients feel about injectable therapies.
When I'm teaching or speaking at a conference, the SUSTAIN 7 results are always an aha moment for the audience.
Duration: 23:35 Released: 02/25/2022
Approaches to Injectable Therapy
with Dr James R. Gavin III
Nurse practitioner Lisa Coco and Dr Gavin discuss the issue of clinical inertia in T2D treatment, and what the SUSTAIN 4 and SUSTAIN 5 studies say about Ozempic® and basal insulin.
We need to break the cycle of clinical inertia in the intensification of therapy for our patients with type 2 diabetes.
Duration: 20:16 Released: 02/25/2022
The Role of Ozempic® in Cardiology
with Dr Joshua M. Stolker
Nurse practitioner Lisa Coco and Dr Stolker discuss how and why he prescribes Ozempic® and his advice for others in cardiology who see patients with T2D and established cardiovascular disease.
I used to work with an appropriate patient’s PCP or endocrinologist to start them on a GLP-1 RA like Ozempic®. But now, I prescribe Ozempic® myself.
Duration: 20:49 Released: 02/25/2022
How Patient Support Can Help
with Dr Jennifer Goldman
Nurse practitioner Lisa Coco and Dr Goldman compare their notes on how type 2 diabetes care has changed over time and what providers can do to help patients get off to a good start with Ozempic®.
Patients may think they’ll remember everything we talked about at a visit, but it’s great to have something to take home that also captures some of that.
Ozempic® vs. Lantus
Duration: 20:49 Released: 02/25/2022
GLP-1 RA therapy before basal insulin
with Craig Weirum, MD, FACE
When additional glycemic control is needed, many health care professionals prescribe a basal insulin as their adult patients’ first injectable after metformin. While there are patients who benefit from the use of a basal insulin, there are other options that may help patients reach their A1C goals.
When I am deciding on a first injection for my patients, I consider A1C results, rates of hypoglycemia, and dosing schedule.
Ozempic® vs. Trulicity
Duration: 20:49 Released: 02/25/2022
Ozempic® outperformed Trulicity® in reducing A1C
with Richard E. Pratley, MD
For more than 9 years now, I've been practicing at AdventHealth Orlando in a couple of roles. I see patients in clinic every week, including those with type 2 diabetes, but the majority of my time is spent designing and conducting clinical trials. Clinical trials are important to me because the data they provide may impact more patients than treating patients individually.
Based on the SUSTAIN 7 results, Ozempic® provided significant and superior glycemic control vs Trulicity®, making it a treatment I strongly consider for my appropriate patients with type 2 diabetes, like Nancy.
Looking for more information about the topics covered here?
Efficacy data from SUSTAIN 7, 4, and 5
Ozempic® and
weight
Ozempic® is not indicated for
weight loss.
SUSTAIN 6 CVOT
Patient resources
Important Safety Information for Ozempic® (semaglutide) injection
WARNING: RISK OF THYROID C-CELL TUMORS
- In rodents, semaglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures. It is unknown whether Ozempic® causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans as human relevance of semaglutide-induced rodent thyroid C-cell tumors has not been determined
- Ozempic® is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC and in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). Counsel patients regarding the potential risk for MTC with the use of Ozempic® and inform them of symptoms of thyroid tumors (eg, a mass in the neck, dysphagia, dyspnea, persistent hoarseness). Routine monitoring of serum calcitonin or using thyroid ultrasound is of uncertain value for early detection of MTC in patients treated with Ozempic®
Indications and Usage
Ozempic® (semaglutide) injection 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg is indicated:
- as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes
- to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular (CV) events (CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke) in adults with type 2 diabetes and established CV disease
- to reduce the risk of sustained eGFR decline, end-stage kidney disease, and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease
Important Safety Information cont.
Contraindications
- Ozempic® is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of MTC or in patients with MEN 2, and in patients with a hypersensitivity reaction to semaglutide or to any of the excipients in Ozempic®. Serious hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis and angioedema have been reported with Ozempic®
Warnings and Precautions
- Risk of Thyroid C-Cell Tumors: Patients should be further evaluated if serum calcitonin is measured and found to be elevated or thyroid nodules are noted on physical examination or neck imaging
- Acute Pancreatitis: Acute pancreatitis, including fatal and non-fatal hemorrhagic or necrotizing pancreatitis, has been observed in patients treated with GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide. Observe patients carefully for signs and symptoms of pancreatitis (persistent severe abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back with or without vomiting). If pancreatitis is suspected, discontinue Ozempic® and initiate appropriate management
- Diabetic Retinopathy Complications: In a 2-year trial involving patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, more events of diabetic retinopathy complications occurred in patients treated with Ozempic® (3.0%) compared with placebo (1.8%). The absolute risk increase for diabetic retinopathy complications was larger among patients with a history of diabetic retinopathy at baseline than among patients without a known history of diabetic retinopathy.
Rapid improvement in glucose control has been associated with a temporary worsening of diabetic retinopathy. The effect of long-term glycemic control with semaglutide on diabetic retinopathy complications has not been studied. Patients with a history of diabetic retinopathy should be monitored for progression of diabetic retinopathy - Never Share an Ozempic® Pen Between Patients: Ozempic® pens must never be shared between patients, even if the needle is changed. Pen-sharing poses a risk for transmission of blood-borne pathogens
- Hypoglycemia: Patients receiving Ozempic® in combination with an insulin secretagogue (e.g., sulfonylurea) or insulin may have an increased risk of hypoglycemia, including severe hypoglycemia. Inform patients using these concomitant medications of the risk of hypoglycemia and educate them on the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia
- Acute Kidney Injury Due to Volume Depletion: There have been postmarketing reports of acute kidney injury, in some cases requiring hemodialysis, in patients treated with semaglutide. The majority of reported events occurred in patients who experienced gastrointestinal reactions leading to dehydration such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Monitor renal function in patients reporting adverse reactions to Ozempic® that could lead to volume depletion, especially during dosage initiation and escalation
- Severe Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions: Use of Ozempic® has been associated with gastrointestinal adverse reactions, sometimes severe. In Ozempic® clinical trials, severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions were reported more frequently among patients receiving Ozempic® (0.5 mg 0.4%, 1 mg 0.8%) than placebo (0%). Ozempic® is not recommended in patients with severe gastroparesis
- Hypersensitivity: Serious hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis, angioedema) have been reported in patients treated with Ozempic®. If hypersensitivity reactions occur, discontinue use of Ozempic®; treat promptly per standard of care, and monitor until signs and symptoms resolve. Use caution in a patient with a history of angioedema or anaphylaxis with another GLP-1 receptor agonist
- Acute Gallbladder Disease: Acute events of gallbladder disease such as cholelithiasis or cholecystitis have been reported in GLP-1 receptor agonist trials and postmarketing. In placebo-controlled trials, cholelithiasis was reported in 1.5% and 0.4% of patients treated with Ozempic® 0.5 mg and 1 mg, respectively, and not reported in placebo-treated patients. If cholelithiasis is suspected, gallbladder studies and appropriate clinical follow-up are indicated
- Pulmonary Aspiration During General Anesthesia or Deep Sedation: Ozempic® delays gastric emptying. There have been rare postmarketing reports of pulmonary aspiration in patients receiving GLP-1 receptor agonists undergoing elective surgeries or procedures requiring general anesthesia or deep sedation who had residual gastric contents despite reported adherence to preoperative fasting recommendations. Instruct patients to inform healthcare providers prior to any planned surgeries or procedures if they are taking Ozempic®
Adverse Reactions
- The most common adverse reactions, reported in ≥5% of patients treated with Ozempic® are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation
Drug Interactions
- When initiating Ozempic®, consider reducing the dose of concomitantly administered insulin secretagogue (such as sulfonylureas) or insulin to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia
- Ozempic® causes a delay of gastric emptying and has the potential to impact the absorption of concomitantly administered oral medications, so caution should be exercised
Use in Specific Populations
- There are limited data with semaglutide use in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk for adverse developmental outcomes. Discontinue Ozempic® in women at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy due to the long washout period for semaglutide
Please click here for Ozempic® Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning.