European health authorities have warned that patients who are taking blood sugar-lowering and weight-loss drugs before surgery may be at risk of anaesthetic complications.
According to WiseMoney, European health authorities have warned that patients who are taking Novo Nordisk (NVO.US) and Eli Lilly (LLY.US) blood sugar-lowering and weight-loss drugs before surgery may be at risk of anaesthetic complications. The European Medicines Agency's safety committee recommends that patients receiving GLP-1 drug treatment inform their doctor before undergoing general anesthesia or deep sedation, and says product information will be updated accordingly. The agency says patients taking these drugs under anesthesia are at a "biologically plausible risk" of aspirating stomach contents, although it has not found a causal relationship.
Last year, the European Union required four companies, including Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, to provide more information on potential anaesthetic complications, after which it issued updated guidance. GLP-1 drugs include Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Ozempic, as well as Lilly's Mounjaro. The American Society of Anesthesiologists also released guidance in June 2023, recommending that patients skip a dose of medication before surgery.
The potential risk is because the drugs delay the emptying of the stomach, which can lead to food remaining in the stomach even if the patient fasts before surgery. Fluid from the stomach can enter the lungs and cause the patient to develop pneumonia.