Ozempic and Victoza are each glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists which are used within the therapy of sort 2 diabetes.
They assist folks higher handle their blood sugar ranges, decrease HbA1c ranges, enhance insulin sensitivity, and battle insulin resistance.
Whereas remarkably comparable, the 2 have a number of key variations that will have an effect on your selection. So: Ozempic versus Victoza: which one must you select?
This text will clarify the similarities and variations between these two medication so you may make your best option for your self.
What are the lively substances in Ozempic versus Victoza?
The lively ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide and the lively ingredient in Victoza is liraglutide, each of which fall underneath the identical drug class, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonist.
Which means though their lively substances are barely completely different, their mechanism of motion is identical they usually can often be used interchangeably (underneath the supervision of a physician) until you’re allergic to at least one or the opposite lively substances.
Why do folks take Ozempic or Victoza?
Ozempic and Victoza are each used within the therapy of sort 2 diabetes. They’re liquid, injectable pens that assist decrease blood sugars and A1C ranges which are taken subcutaneously (just below the pores and skin).
They support with bettering insulin sensitivity, combating insulin resistance, slowing digestion, and suppressing urge for food. In consequence, many individuals who take these medicines expertise weight reduction.
Ozempic and Victoza decrease all-cause mortality, and assist decrease the chance of coronary heart assault and stroke in folks with sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness.
Individuals who have prediabetes or sort 1 diabetes could also be prescribed Ozempic or Victoza “off-label”, which suggests it isn’t permitted by the FDA, to enhance insulin resistance and blood sugar ranges.
Individuals are by no means prescribed each medicines; you are taking one or the opposite. You’ll be able to by no means combine the 2 medicines.
How are Ozempic and Victoza comparable?
Ozempic and Victoza can be utilized alone or together with different diabetes medicines. Nevertheless, they’ll by no means absolutely substitute using insulin in the event you’re insulin-dependent.
The next are extra similarities between the 2 medicines:
Decrease blood sugar and A1C ranges
Ozempic and Victoza each improve insulin secretion, thus growing sugar metabolism and bettering insulin sensitivity.
In addition they inhibit the liver’s manufacturing of glucagon, serving to folks with sort 2 diabetes higher handle their blood sugars and decrease their A1Cs.
Could trigger weight reduction
Whereas neither remedy is FDA-approved as a weight reduction drug, the medicines suppress urge for food and gradual digestion, which trigger many individuals to drop pounds whereas taking both one.
Since they aren’t permitted for weight reduction by the Meals and Drug Administration, there isn’t any advisable dose to realize this. Speak together with your physician in the event you’re keen on shedding pounds and residing with sort 2 diabetes, as there are weight reduction medicines permitted by the FDA for folks residing with diabetes.
Decrease cardiovascular dangers
Each Ozempic and Victoza decrease cardiovascular dangers for folks presently residing with each sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness.
A meta-analysis from The Lancet discovered this to be true: Ozempic and Victoza lowered cardiovascular threat and even decreased the chance of dying in folks with diabetes and coronary heart illness.
The American Diabetes Affiliation even recommends GLP-1 agonists (a drug class of which each Ozempic and Victoza are a component) for individuals who have sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness to decrease cardiovascular threat.
Could trigger adversarial unwanted side effects
Each Ozempic and Victoza could trigger adversarial unwanted side effects.
These embody:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Low blood sugar, particularly when used together with insulin
In addition they could trigger critical unwanted side effects, together with:
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney issues
- Elevated threat of thyroid most cancers
- Allergic response
To be taught extra in regards to the potential unwanted side effects, learn our guides to Ozempic unwanted side effects and Victoza unwanted side effects.
They’re name-brand and costly
Sadly, there aren’t any generic variations of Ozempic or Victoza. They’re each title manufacturers and fairly costly. Some medical health insurance plans could not cowl both.
Test together with your well being plan to see whether it is included on the formulary, and what your cost-sharing can be earlier than beginning the remedy, as they’ll turn into fairly price prohibitive over time.
They don’t substitute insulin
Ozempic nor Victoza replaces insulin. In case you are insulin-dependent and determine to start therapy with one among these medicines, you’ll nonetheless have to proceed taking your different diabetes medicines as prescribed until your physician tells you in any other case.
They are often taken with or with out meals
In contrast to insulin and plenty of different medicines, GLP-1 agonists could be taken with or and not using a meal, and they are often taken any time of day. Though they’re confirmed to decrease blood sugars in a normal sense, they don’t trigger acute low blood sugars after administration.
If you happen to take your injection of both within the morning after which go train, it won’t have a direct impact in your blood sugar ranges, inflicting you to drop low.
Nevertheless, in the event you are likely to expertise nausea after your injection, consuming one thing bland (like toast, a banana, rice, or crackers) could assist alleviate it.
How are Ozempic and Victoza completely different?
Ozempic and Victoza are additionally completely different in a number of ways in which may sway you in direction of one or the opposite. The key variations between these two medicines are:
The frequency of administration and dosing differ
Ozempic is taken as soon as weekly and Victoza must be taken as soon as every day. That is the foremost distinction between these two medicines.
Ozempic is stronger and longer lasting; nonetheless, in the event you take an excessive amount of Ozempic and expertise unwanted side effects reminiscent of nausea or vomiting, be warned that these results will final a complete week. If you happen to’re calibrating your Victoza dose and take an excessive amount of, the consequences put on off after 24 hours.
Nevertheless, in the event you don’t wish to take a every day injection, or are likely to overlook to take a every day remedy, the comfort of Ozempic could suit your way of life higher.
Additionally of word is that their dosing is totally completely different. You will have to work together with your physician to find out the proper dose for you and your well being targets.
Ozempic could trigger diabetic retinopathy
It is a extreme aspect impact of Ozempic that’s not related to Victoza. Research present that semaglutide (the lively ingredient in Ozempic) is related to the early worsening of diabetic retinopathy.
Though this doesn’t occur in all and even many sufferers who take Ozempic, taking this remedy does include an elevated threat.
Speak together with your physician in case you have early-stage diabetic retinopathy or are nervous that taking Ozempic could threaten your eye well being.
Continuously requested questions
Sure. You’ll be able to change between the 2, particularly in the event you’re experiencing adversarial unwanted side effects on one drug or the opposite. Nevertheless, in the event you’ve been taking Ozempic, you have to to attend a full week out of your final dose earlier than starting your first dose of Victoza.
If you happen to’re presently on Victoza, you have to to attend 24 hours earlier than taking your first dose of Ozempic.
Solely change medicines underneath the steerage of your physician, because the dosing is totally completely different between the 2 medicines and it doesn’t translate between them.
Even in the event you’re on the very best dose of Victoza, your physician will most likely begin you on a small dose of Ozempic (and vice versa) till your physique will get used to the brand new lively ingredient.
That is attainable, however not all the time probably. Dropping pounds can assist enhance each insulin resistance and blood sugar ranges, typically making insulin or different diabetes medicines pointless.
Nevertheless, these modifications can take a variety of time, and they need to solely ever be performed underneath the steerage of a physician.
Ozempic and Victoza can’t treatment diabetes, however in the event you’ve misplaced a big quantity of weight and your blood sugars are in nice management with much less insulin (and also you’re managing effectively with wholesome consuming and train), you could possibly decrease your insulin wants or cease taking insulin utterly.
It will solely apply to individuals who have sort 2 diabetes, as folks with sort 1 diabetes must not ever cease taking their insulin.
Speak together with your physician in case you have questions or considerations or are experiencing extreme bouts of low blood sugar ranges whereas taking Ozempic or Victoza.
Takeaway
In the end, the selection between taking Ozempic or Victoza is totally as much as you and can fluctuate primarily based in your well being historical past, way of life, well being targets, and medical health insurance protection.
Speak together with your physician about any questions or considerations you could have, and in the event you begin one remedy however dislike it, you possibly can all the time change and take a look at the choice.
