Medication like Ozempic and Wegovy—also called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or semaglutide medicines—have been linked to elevated suicidal ideas, says a brand new research revealed in JAMA Community Open on Aug. 20.
“A detected signal of semaglutide-associated suicidal ideation warrants urgent clarification,” the educational researchers famous within the research.
Utilizing an expansive World Well being Group database of reported particular person hostile reactions to medicines, they performed a disproportionality evaluation of GLP-1 RAs semaglutide and liraglutide, searching for observations of suicidal ideas, and located such ideas to be higher than anticipated.
What they discovered was a forty five% higher fee of experiences of suicidal ideas related to semaglutide than with all the opposite medication within the database.
Combined findings in semaglutide research
It’s price noting that findings had been small, making up solely 0.35% of the full experiences related to the diabetes drug. There was additionally no proof these medication triggered suicidal ideation.
It’s additionally price noting that, in January 2024, separate researchers got here to an reverse conclusion: In a research revealed within the journal Nature Drugs taking a look at 240,618 sufferers prescribed semaglutide, researchers discovered that sufferers taking semaglutide in contrast with different non-GLP1R agonist anti-obesity medicines had a decrease threat of suicidal ideation.
Earlier, in July 2023, in keeping with the latest research, the European Medicines Company (EMA) started an ongoing overview after there have been a sequence of experiences of suicidal or self-harming ideas related to liraglutide or semaglutide. The British Medicines and Healthcare Merchandise Regulatory Company and the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) then introduced comparable investigations.
The EMA and FDA each claimed they didn’t discover a clear relationship between GLP-1 RAs and suicidal ideas.
In the newest research, researchers clarified that the chance of suicidal ideation is heightened for individuals with nervousness and depressive problems or different psychiatric problems. They urge a precaution of use in sufferers with psychiatric problems or at psychological threat, and recommend a warning be added to all semaglutide packaging (the FDA label of semaglutide for Wegovy presently warns to observe for despair or suicidal ideas).
Sufferers with out a historical past of psychiatric problems is probably not at a excessive threat of suicidal ideas, the researchers write.
Notably, researchers discovered via the research that one other diabetes treatment, liraglutide, didn’t have a hyperlink with suicidal ideas or ideation.
In the event you want rapid psychological well being assist, contact the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline.
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