Consumption Of Weight Loss Drugs May Cause Aspiration Pneumonia, Study Says

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According to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Gastroenterology, patients consuming weight loss drugs before going through a medical procedure are at high risk of suffering from complications.

The study conducted by the Cedars-Sinai research team found that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists or GLP-1RA medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, used for the treatment of diabetes and obesity, could pose a serious risk of aspiration pneumonia following endoscopy.

Aspiration pneumonia is caused by inhaling foreign materials into the lungs, such as food in the stomach, or secretions from the mouth and nose.

Ali Rezaie, corresponding author of the study, explained that weight loss drugs work by slowing down the digestion process, which means food stays in the stomach for a longer period. As a result, the possibility of food materials getting sucked into the lungs during medical procedures is significantly high.

"Aspiration during or after endoscopy can be devastating," Rezaie added. "If significant, it can lead to respiratory failure, ICU admission and even death. Even mild cases may require close monitoring, respiratory support and medications including antibiotics. It is important we take all possible precautions to prevent aspiration from occurring."

Upon analyzing data from around 1 million U.S. patients who underwent upper or lower endoscopy procedures between January 2018 and December 2020, the researchers found that the patients who took weight loss medications had a 33 percent higher chance of experiencing aspiration pneumonia than the patients who didn't take the medications before the procedure.

"When we apply this risk to the more than 20 million endoscopies that are performed in the U.S. each year, there may actually be a large number of cases where aspiration could be avoided if the patient safely stops their GLP-1RA medication in advance," Rezaie commented.

Yee Hui Yeo, first author of the study and a clinical fellow in the Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Cedars-Sinai advised, "Patients taking these medications who are scheduled to undergo a procedure should communicate with their healthcare team well in advance to avoid unnecessary and unwanted complications."

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