According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are more than a billion obese people in the world, and the fight against excess weight is a serious and difficult matter. Not everyone likes diets, intermittent fasting and grueling exercise, so the appearance of drugs such as Ozempic (its analogue was officially registered in Russia in 2023) created a real sensation – many perceived this medicine for diabetes as a magic diet pill. This is because the active ingredient in Ozempic, semaglutide, blocks the feeling of hunger, promoting rapid weight loss. Semaglutide, however, turns out to be not so harmless – the results of a recent study showed that it may increase the risk of a relatively rare eye disease that leads to complete loss of vision. «When a change in sugar levels occurs in the body, this can affect the shape of the lens of the eye and, accordingly, lead to worsening vision», write the authors of the scientific work.
A popular drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes has a number of side effects. Image: childrenshealthdefense.org
Contents
- 1 What is Ozempic?
- 2 Side effects
- 3 Can semaglutide make you blind?
- 4 Ozempic, vision and diabetes
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is the trade name of the drug semaglutide, which is used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ozempic helps control blood sugar levels and reduces appetite, which is why it is very popular among those who want to lose excess weight. Drugs containing semaglutide include Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus.
In Russia, the first generic Ozempic (INN semaglutide) was registered in 2023 by Geropharm, which received a marketing authorization for the drug Semavik. . As reported by the press service of Geropharm, the company will be able to cover the country's need for the medicine.
The first generic Ozempic (INN semaglutide) has been registered in Russia. Image: www.pharmjournal.ru
True, we are talking exclusively about Ozempic, which is used to treat diabetes, but other drugs intended to combat obesity are not produced in our country.
< p>Let us remember that Ozempic is administered subcutaneously, usually once a week. The dosage and frequency of administration are determined by the doctor based on the patient's condition and his response to treatment. And although Ozempic is not officially a weight loss drug, the results of numerous studies show that people taking it can lose some weight during treatment.
We talked in more detail about the fight against extra pounds with the help of Ozempic here. do not miss!
Side effects
Like any medicine, Ozempic may cause side effects. Some of the most common include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain. Rare and serious side effects include pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas),
hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), especially when taken with insulin or sulfonylureas, kidney problems, and allergic reactions.
Necessary Please note thatnot all patients experience side effects, and many of them may be temporary. However, if serious side effects occur, you should immediately contact your doctor. Although the vast majority of patients taking the drug do not report side effects, their threatening nature is such that you simply cannot forget about the risk.
Side effects are a common occurrence when treated with one drug or another. Image: mediaproxy.salon.com
These concerns were recently reinforced by a study published in the scientific journal JAMA. The study found that nondiabetic patients who use drugs like Ozempic for weight loss are ata higher risk of three rare but serious stomach diseases.
Read also: There are more than a billion obese people in the world
One such condition, gastric paralysis, is not listed on the drug label. The drugs also increase the risk of patients developing inflammatory diseases, such as pancreatitis and some types of intestinal obstruction.
While most patients taking Ozempic do not have any side effects effects, a minority may experience side effects, most of which are related to the gastrointestinal tract, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, says physician Fatima Cody Stanford, from Massachusetts General Hospital (USA).
The main problem is that because Ozempic is a relatively new drug, more research is needed so that doctors can accurately assess its safety.
Can you go blind from semaglutide?
Now, thanks to the results of a study published in JAMA, perhaps the rarest side effect of Ozempic has become known – semaglutide, as it turns out, can increase the risk of a rare eye disease that leads to vision loss. The study was conducted by scientists from Harvard University and was based on anecdotal reports from doctors in Boston, who in the course of their practice had three patients taking semaglutide lose their vision in just one week.
The following analysis is based on health data from 16,827 patients, 710 of whom were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, 979 of whom were overweight or obese. The study authors say their findings should be considered «significant but preliminary».
However, it is important to understand that the increased risk is associated with a disorder that is relatively rare. Image: blogger.googleusercontent.com
When participants were matched for age and gender, the researchers found that those taking semaglutide for the past six years had a “significantly increased risk” of developing ischemic optic neuropathy – damage to the optic nerve due to a blockage in the blood vessel that supplies blood.
In simpler terms, this neuropathy, which affects about 10 in 10,000 people, is characterized by decreased blood flow to the front of the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the retina to the brain. Over time, this can lead to swelling and sometimes sudden and irreversible vision loss, the study authors write.
According to the current analysis, 11% of patients treated with semaglutide for diabetes in the past six years developed ischemic optic neuropathy, compared with just 3% of patients treated with other diabetes medications. What's more, 7% of patients taking semaglutide for weight loss also experienced vision problems – and this compared with 1% of similar patients taking other weight loss drugs.
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According to the North American Neuro-Ophthalmological Society, vision loss from ischemic optic neuropathy is usually painless and incomplete. It usually begins as a stationary gray or dark spot in the upper or lower half of the visual field of one eye.
Ozempic, vision and diabetes
Diabetic retinopathyis damage to the retina of the eye that occurs due to diabetes mellitus. Observed in 90% of patients with diabetes.
It is known that people who are overweight or have type 2 diabetes are generally at greater risk of developing ischemic optic neuropathy and other eye diseases, regardless of whether they take semaglutide or not. This is becausewith age, the lens of the eye becomes less flexibleso vision takes longer to stabilize when the body experiences changes in blood sugar levels.
People with type 2 diabetes often experience eye problems. Image: assets.bwbx.io
The current analysis, however, revealed a key difference between patients taking semaglutide and those coping without it. Let us note that, like any medicine, the drug has its own risks and benefits, but it is still a novelty for science.
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Thus, it is now known that there are receptors in the optic nerve that semaglutide can bind to, but the current study did not adequately address all the contributing factors that could play a role in this connection. Further research is needed to thoroughly answer all the questions.
This is information that we did not have before and should be included in discussions between patients and their doctors, especially if patients have other known optic nerve problems, such as glaucoma, or have previously experienced significant vision loss from other causes, the study authors say.
Scientists are now working to learn more about the long-term effects of semaglutide on vision among patients with type 2 diabetes. The work, known as FOCUS, will evaluate the effects of semaglutide and other diabetes drugs on diabetic retinopathy. The study is expected to be completed in February 2027.