Ozempic and Victorza are glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists used to deal with sort 2 diabetes.
They assist individuals higher handle their blood sugar (sugar) ranges, decrease A1C ranges, enhance insulin sensitivity, and fight insulin resistance.
What are the lively components in Ozempic vs. Victorza?
Ozempic’s lively ingredient is semaglutide, whereas Victoza comprises liraglutide. Each medicine belong to the category of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists which might be authorized for the remedy of sort 2 diabetes.
They operate by selling insulin secretion in response to hyperglycemia ranges, emptying the abdomen and suppressing urge for food. All of those can enhance blood sugar management and provide help to handle your weight.
They’ve related mechanisms of motion, however semaglutide and liraglutide have completely different chemical compositions and usually are not straight suitable.
Every drug might supply quite a lot of advantages and dangers, and choice between them includes cautious consideration of quite a lot of components, corresponding to efficacy, uncomfortable side effects, frequency of administration, and particular person preferences.
Allergy symptoms or sensitivity to the lively components of both drug additionally require cautious choice and monitoring by a medical skilled.
Why do individuals take Ozempic or Viktosa?
Each Ozempic and Victorza are used to deal with sort 2 diabetes. They’re liquids, injectable medicines which might be ingested subcutaneously (just below the pores and skin). Each assist decrease blood sugar and A1C ranges (a measure of glucose management over the previous 2-3 months).
They not directly contribute to weight administration by bettering insulin resistance (a situation by which the physique wants further insulin to keep up regular blood sugar ranges), slowing digestion and suppressing urge for food.
Nonetheless, you will need to observe that weight reduction is a normal profit, however not the primary function of those remedies.
Along with glycemic management, Ozempic and Victorza have proven cardiovascular advantages for individuals with sort 2 diabetes and preexisting coronary heart illness, which can scale back the chance of coronary heart assaults, strokes and even demise from all causes (demise from all causes).
Sometimes, Ozempic or Victorza could also be prescribed “unlabeled” (in a method not authorized by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) to individuals with pre-sugar or sort 1 diabetes to enhance insulin resistance and glucose ranges.
You will need to observe that Ozempic and Victorza usually are not prescribed collectively. Customers are usually really useful to make use of both based mostly on their healthcare workforce’s evaluation of their particular state of affairs.
learn extra: Every thing you should learn about Ozempic and Every thing you should learn about Viktosa.
How do Ozempic and Victorza look related?
Ozempic and Victorza can be utilized alone or together with different diabetes medicines. Nonetheless, if insulin is required to deal with diabetes, it can not fully change the usage of insulin.
Beneath are extra similarities between the 2 medicine.
Hypoglycemia and A1c ranges
By mimicking the consequences of the GLP-1 hormone, Ozempic and Victorza successfully decrease blood glucose and A1c ranges, and naturally enhance insulin secretion in response to elevated blood glucose ranges.
This impact is glucose dependent. Which means that it primarily happens when blood sugar must be lowered. This helps enhance glycemic management with out considerably rising the chance of hypoglycemia (hypoglycemia).
Along with elevated insulin launch, these medicine contribute to raised glycemic management by suppressing the secretion of glucagon, a hormone that usually sigrates the liver and releases saved glucose into the bloodstream.
By decreasing glucagon ranges, Ozempic and Victorza assist restrict liver glucose launch, additional serving to to decrease blood glucose ranges.
It may possibly trigger weight reduction
Neither drug is authorized for FDA as a weight reduction drug, however the drug suppresses urge for food and sluggish digestion.
There isn’t any really useful dose to attain this as FDA weight reduction shouldn’t be authorized.
In case you are fascinated about shedding pounds and dwelling with sort 2 diabetes, discuss to your physician. As a result of there are weight reduction medicines that the FDA has authorized for diabetics.
For extra data: Does Ozempic provide help to shed extra pounds? and Victorza and Weight Loss: Does Victorza provide help to shed extra pounds?
Low cardiovascular danger
Medical proof demonstrates that each Ozempic and Viktosa contribute to decrease cardiovascular danger in individuals with sort 2 diabetes, notably these with coronary heart illness.
For instance, key scientific trials such because the Victorza Chief’s Trial and Ozempic’s Maintain-6 Trial have proven that these medicine might not solely scale back the chance of main cardiovascular occasions, but additionally scale back the chance of cardiovascular-related demise on this inhabitants.
In help of this, a complete meta-analysis (evaluation of information from a number of research) was revealed. Rancet We determine the cardiovascular advantages of those GLP-1 agonists and combine findings from numerous research.
Primarily based on this sturdy proof, the American Diabetes Affiliation (ADA) recommends the usage of GLP-1 agonists, together with Ozempic and Victorza, for individuals with sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness, as a technique to scale back cardiovascular danger.
It may possibly trigger opposed results
Each Ozempic and Victorza can have a damaging impact on uncomfortable side effects.
These embrace:
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- constipation
- Hypoglycemia, particularly when utilized in mixture with insulin
It may possibly additionally trigger extra severe uncomfortable side effects, together with:
- Pancreatitis (irritation of the pancreas)
- Kidney issues
- Elevated danger of thyroid most cancers
- Allergic reactions
For extra details about the potential uncomfortable side effects of each medicine, learn: Ozempic Facet Results: Issues You Must Know and Uncomfortable side effects of victoza: What you should know.
They’re identify manufacturers and costly
Sadly, there aren’t any normal variations of Ozempic or Victorza. Each are identify manufacturers and are extraordinarily costly. Neither of some medical health insurance plans might cowl.
Test your medical health insurance plan to see whether it is included in your prescription and what price sharing is earlier than you begin your medicine.
They aren’t substitutes for insulin
Neither Ozempic nor Victorza will change insulin. These medicine work along with different therapies, together with insulin, and provide help to successfully handle your blood sugar ranges.
In case you are contemplating beginning Ozempic or Victoza, you will need to preserve your present remedy plan, together with insulin, if prescribed, except your healthcare supplier advises you to make a change.
They are often taken with or with out meals
GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and Victorza present appreciable flexibility in administration as they are often taken at any time, with or with out meals. This contrasts with insulin and sure different diabetes medicines, and infrequently requires extra exact timing with eating regimen.
Though these medicine are usually efficient in decreasing blood glucose ranges, they’re at a decrease danger of inflicting acute hypoglycemia on their very own due to the glucose-dependent mechanism of motion.
Which means that they stimulate insulin launch primarily within the presence of hyperglycemia ranges, minimizing the chance of decreasing blood glucose beneath regular circumstances.
In case you are engaged in bodily exercise after receiving an injection, it’s unlikely to trigger a fast drop in blood glucose ranges. Nonetheless, train can have an effect on glucose ranges, so it is strongly recommended to observe responses, particularly in new remedy regimens.
For many who have skilled nausea after injection, pre-consuming widespread uncomfortable side effects, bland meals corresponding to toast, bananas, rice, crackers, and different bland meals might assist scale back this discomfort. This facet impact can lower over time as your physique adapts to the medicine.
For extra data: Meals to Keep away from When Taking Ozempic and Meals to Keep away from when taking Viktosa.
What’s the distinction between Ozempic and Victorza?
Ozempic and Victorza share many similarities as GLP-1 agonists used to handle sort 2 diabetes, however there are a number of necessary variations that will have an effect on choice.
Dosage Frequency
Ozempic is taken as soon as every week, making it a handy possibility for individuals who choose much less frequent dosing. In distinction, Victorza requires each day injections. This can be good for individuals who want extra detailed management of their blood sugar ranges, or those that expertise delicate uncomfortable side effects that disappear shortly.
See extra particulars: Ozempic Dosage Information: How a lot ought to it price? and Victorza Dosing: How a lot does it price?
Permitted Group
Ozempic is authorized to be used in adults over the age of 18 with sort 2 diabetes. In the meantime, Victorza is authorized to be used in individuals over the age of 10 with sort 2 diabetes.
Impact length and uncomfortable side effects
Ozempic lasts a very long time and has a weekly dosage schedule. Nonetheless, it’s lively for longer, so uncomfortable side effects corresponding to nausea and vomiting may last as long as every week.
Then again, Viktoza is taken each day, so uncomfortable side effects normally lower sooner than inside a day as the consequences of the medicine fade away.
In case your each day injection outlook is a priority, or when you are likely to overlook about your each day medicine, Ozempic’s weekly schedule could also be appropriate on your way of life.
It is usually necessary to notice that the administration of the 2 medicine is totally completely different. Each require cautious administration changes that should be managed beneath the steering of the healthcare supplier.
Ozempic may cause diabetic retinopathy
Semaglutide, the lively ingredient in ozenpic, can enhance the chance of early deterioration of diabetic retinopathy (injury to the retinal eye) particularly in individuals who have already got this eye situation.
This facet impact was notably noticed in Maintain-6 scientific trials, however doesn’t have an effect on all customers of the drug.
In distinction, Victorza shouldn’t be related to related dangers in main research.
You probably have current diabetic retinopathy or are involved concerning the potential ocular well being problems, you will need to talk about these dangers together with your physician earlier than beginning ozempic. This dialog will assist make sure that your remedy plan considers each your diabetes administration wants and your total eye well being.
FAQ
Can I change between the 2 medicines?
Sure, it’s doable to modify between Ozempic and Victorza, particularly if you’re experiencing uncomfortable side effects with any of them. Nonetheless, on account of completely different actions and efficacy, a particular ready interval is really useful to make sure security.
In case you are switching from Ozempic to Victoza, you’ll be able to wait every week after the final dose of Ozempic to scale back the effectiveness of long-acting Ozempic.
In the event you change from Victorza to Ozempic, take the primary dose of Ozempic 24 hours after the final dose of Victorza earlier than ready.
At all times make such modifications beneath the steering of a physician. The doses of Ozempic and Victoza usually are not comparable and your physician might regulate your beginning dose based mostly in your wants and former expertise with GLP-1 medicine.
Even if you’re taking the best dose of Victorza, your physician might begin you with a decrease dose of Ozempic and regulate based mostly in your response and any uncomfortable side effects.
Can I take Ozempic and Victorza on the identical time?
No, we don’t advocate utilizing two medicine within the GLP-1 agonist class, corresponding to Ozempic or Victorza, on the identical time.
Doing so might not enhance its effectiveness and enhance the chance of great uncomfortable side effects. Though GLP-1 agonists usually have a low danger of inflicting hypoglycemia on their very own, combos of those medicine can result in an elevated danger of different severe uncomfortable side effects corresponding to gastrointestinal issues and pancreatitis.
You will need to comply with the steering of your healthcare supplier and use solely prescribed medicine remedy.
If I lose sufficient weight on Ozempic or Victorza, can I take away different diabetes medicines?
On account of important weight reduction and improved glycemic management, it’s doable for individuals taking Ozempic or Viktosa to scale back and even discontinue different diabetes medicines, however this isn’t assured.
Weight reduction can enhance insulin sensitivity, decrease blood sugar ranges, and scale back the necessity for extra medicine.
Nonetheless, coordination of diabetes remedy plans needs to be executed fastidiously and always beneath the steering of a well being care supplier.
You will need to do not forget that Ozempic and Victorza can tremendously enhance diabetes administration, however they haven’t cured their situation. The necessity for ongoing medicine, together with insulin, can final, particularly in individuals who have suffered from diabetes for a very long time.
This consideration is especially necessary for individuals with sort 2 diabetes who could possibly scale back their dependence on insulin and different medicine. In distinction, sort 1 diabetic sufferers have to proceed insulin remedy as a result of their our bodies don’t produce insulin.
Speak to your physician when you expertise any main modifications, corresponding to sudden weight reduction or frequent hypoglycemia episodes.
