Ozempic

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is a treatment produced by Novo Nordisk licensed to treat type 2 diabetes. The active ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide, which is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. It’s available in three different dosages: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1 mg.

This type 2 diabetes treatment comes as an injectable device that’s about the size of a pen. At the moment, it’s only licensed to treat diabetes in the UK, but another version of it called Wegovy has been approved for weight loss and is expected to be available soon. Semaglutide is already approved as a weight loss treatment in the United States, also under the brand name Wegovy.

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Medically reviewed by

Dr Daniel Atkinson

GP Clinical Lead

on March 24, 2023.

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How does Ozempic work?

Ozempic works by stimulating your body to produce more insulin to control your blood sugar levels. It also encourages appetite-suppression, which can assist with weight loss. These benefits can help reduce the effects of type 2 diabetes, and possibly even reverse it.

How does Ozempic reduce diabetes symptoms?

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease characterised by unstable blood sugar levels. Unlike type 1 diabetes, which is genetic or caused by viruses, type 2 diabetes is often caused by lifestyle factors. In some cases it can be reversed with lifestyle changes, but when it can’t, some people need to use medication to maintain safe blood sugar levels and stave off complications.

People with type 2 diabetes struggle to control their blood sugar levels because they either can’t produce enough insulin, or they develop a condition called insulin resistance. Ozempic boosts insulin production to help your body lower its glucose levels.

How can Ozempic aid weight loss?

GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide reduce your appetite, making you eat less food. They also reduce your food cravings, giving you more control over your eating habits. These effects encourage weight loss because you’re more likely to run a calorie deficit. Simply put, when you eat less calories, you don’t have to work as hard to lose weight.

Ozempic is most beneficial when you take it after eating breakfast. It helps to curb hunger for the remaining meals in your day. People who take semaglutide after breakfast eat 24% less as a result of their lowered appetite . The amount of weight people can lose while taking semaglutide increases with the dosage. According to one study, many participants lost 10% or more of their body weight from using semaglutide, whilst participants taking the highest dose of 0.4 mg lost 13.8% of their body weight .

Is Ozempic effective?

Ozempic is an effective treatment for lowering blood sugar levels and it’s shown to be effective at helping people lose weight. Your clinician can keep track of your blood sugar levels by performing a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test. People with normal blood sugar levels have 5.7% HbA1c or lower, while people with diabetes have 6.5% or higher. A HbA1c level between 5.7% and 6.5% indicates that you’re prediabetic and at high risk for developing diabetes .

If you have type 2 diabetes, Ozempic might be a great treatment option for you. People who use Ozempic see their HbA1c levels drop by 0.93% . This is significant, as the target HbA1c level is very low. The weight loss benefits of Ozempic are also impressive. People who take Ozempic can lose an average of 16% of their body weight. .

How do you use Ozempic?

Always take Ozempic as instructed by your clinician. Ozempic is usually administered through an injectable pen. It has a half-life of about a week, so you’ll typically only need to inject yourself about once a week . For the best results, you should take Ozempic around the same time on your chosen day of the week. The process is usually to:

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Confirm that you’re taking the right medication. If you take more than one medication that you use with an injection, make sure you have the right one. Taking the wrong medication can cause a medical emergency.
Quality check: Make sure your treatment isn’t compromised. If the liquid in your Ozempic dose is cloudy or has changed color, it’s no longer safe to use. Dispose of it safely and use a vial that is clear and free from any visible changes.
Attach a new needle to your Ozempic pen. Make sure the needle hasn’t been damaged or tampered with. Remove the paper backing and put the needle on the pen. Twist it tightly to ensure that it’s securely attached.
Remove the caps: There are two caps on your Ozempic pen. Remove the outer cap and set it to the side. Don’t throw it away. Take off the inner cap and throw it away.
Check the flow: If it’s your first time using Ozempic, or you’re using a new pen for the first time, you’ll need to check the flow. There’s a dose selection mechanism on your pen that you should turn to the flow check setting. Hold the pen vertically with the needle side up. Depress the dose button until it reaches zero and the needle produces a drop of medicine. If you don’t see a drop come from the needle, do it again. You can repeat this process up to six times. You’ll need to throw out your pen and use a new one if the flow check doesn’t work after the sixth time.
Choose the correct dose: Turn the dose selector to your prescribed dose. You can turn this mechanism to make sure there’s enough medicine left for your total dose. Simply turn it until the numbers stop. If the dial stops before reaching the dose you need, there isn’t enough left in the Ozempic pen, and you’ll need to get a new one.
Administer Ozempic: Make sure you’re holding the pen without covering the dose counter. Push the needle into the skin on your thigh. Depress the injection button until the dose counter goes to zero. Don’t remove the needle until you’ve counted to six.
Remove your needle: Place the large cap on a table or other flat surface with the open side up. Carefully push the needle side of your pen into it until it’s attached. Unscrew the needle from your Ozempic pen. Dispose of the needle as directed by your clinician (usually in a sharps container). Remove your needle: Place the large cap on a table or other flat surface with the open side up. Carefully push the needle side of your pen into it until it’s attached. Unscrew the needle from your Ozempic pen. Dispose of the needle as directed by your clinician (usually in a sharps container).
Safely store your Ozempic pen: Put the top on your pen to keep it from being damaged. Keep it in your refrigerator. If you store it below 30 degrees Celsius, it’s good to use for six weeks before you need to replace it.

Which dose of Ozempic should I use?

People who take Ozempic for type 2 diabetes treatment might need to slowly increase their weekly dose over a period of weeks or months. Your doctor will most likely start you on the lowest dose of Ozempic, which is 0.25 mg. After four weeks, they could increase your dose to 0.5 mg. This pattern will repeat until you reach a dose that’s controlling your blood sugar properly.

Are there similar treatments to Ozempic?

There are other treatments that have GLP-1 receptor agonists as their active ingredient. Liraglutide, the active ingredient in Saxenda, is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, but it has a shorter half life than semaglutide.

Studies show that semaglutide is effective and safe to use, when compared to liraglutide . The biggest difference between these two GLP-1 receptor agonists is that semaglutide is taken once a week, whilst liraglutide is a daily treatment.

Can you drink alcohol on Ozempic?

Yes, you can drink when you’re using Ozempic, but you should be careful about how much. Alcohol can lower your blood sugar levels. Since Ozempic also lowers blood sugar levels, your blood sugar can dip dangerously low if you drink too much alcohol.

What should you do if you forget to take Ozempic?

Missing a dose of Ozempic doesn’t have to be a big deal. Don’t take a double dose to make up for it. Instead, follow these instructions:

If your missed dose was five days ago or less, you can take it when you remember. Then, simply continue to take your doses on schedule.
If it’s been more than five days since your missed dose, you’ll need to wait until your next regularly scheduled dose to take it.

How do you store Ozempic?

You’ll need to store Ozempic in your refrigerator. It should always have the cap on to prevent it from being damaged from light exposure.

Is Ozempic right for you?

Ozempic helps people with type 2 diabetes gain control over their blood sugar levels, as well as helping people to lose weight. If you’re wondering if Ozempic could be right for you, talk to us about your health.

This page was medically reviewed by Dr Daniel Atkinson, GP Clinical Lead on March 24, 2023. Next review due on March 24, 2025.

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