A new study has found that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, may be sending tens of thousands of Americans to emergency rooms. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that nearly 25,000 ER visits from 2022 to 2023 were related to side effects from the drug, particularly gastrointestinal issues.
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed national surveillance data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-Cooperative Adverse Drug Event Surveillance Project (NEISS-CADES). Based on 551 reported cases, researchers estimated that semaglutide was linked to 24,499 emergency room visits over the two-year period. Most of the visits—around 70%—were due to severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, accounted for 17% of the cases, while allergic reactions made up about 6%.
Semaglutide is part of a class of medications that mimic GLP-1, a hormone involved in controlling appetite and blood sugar. Though GLP-1 drugs have been available for decades, semaglutide represents a newer, more potent version. Ozempic was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2017 for type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy followed in 2021 for treating obesity. Since then, Ozempic has also been widely prescribed off-label for weight loss.
While side effects are expected with most medications, those caused by GLP-1 drugs can sometimes become severe. Although symptoms like nausea and diarrhea are common and usually temporary, in some cases they lead to emergency medical treatment. The study also noted that around one-third of hypoglycemia-related ER visits and 15% of gastrointestinal-related visits required hospitalization.
The authors urge caution but note that context matters. Many medications, including over-the-counter drugs, are known to cause adverse reactions serious enough to prompt an ER visit. A 2021 study by some of the same researchers found that about 1 in 200 Americans goes to the ER each year due to medication-related harm. A separate 2022 study estimated that cough and cold medications alone cause 27,000 ER visits annually in the U.S.
Still, the rise in semaglutide-related ER visits appears significant. Over 82% of the estimated cases occurred in 2023, which suggests that the growing popularity of weight-loss medications may be tied to increased health risks. About 9% of ER visits were related to medication errors, such as taking an incorrect dose.
The CDC researchers believe that better patient education and closer medical supervision could reduce these risks. They recommend that doctors prepare patients for possible side effects and adjust other medications as needed—especially drugs that affect blood sugar levels.
“Clinicians could counsel patients when initiating semaglutide about the potential for severe gastrointestinal adverse effects and adjust co-prescribed antidiabetic medications to decrease hypoglycemia risk,” the study’s authors concluded.
Related Topics:
Does Lipo Injection Really Work for Weight Loss
