Ozempic May Lower the Risk of Acute Pancreatitis

Ozempic and other obesity and diabetes drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists may reduce the risk of acute pancreatitis, according to a new study.

Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, can range from mild to life-threatening. The condition can be acute, lasting just a few days, or chronic, getting worse over time. In the United States, acute pancreatitis leads to 275,000 hospital stays a year.

Doctors have been cautious about prescribing GLP-1 receptor agonists in patients with a history of pancreatitis due to the potential risk of worsening the condition. The Ozempic label, for example, warns that patients should be carefully observed for signs of pancreatitis.

A new study, presented at ENDO 2024, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Boston, suggests that these drugs may cut the risk of pancreas inflammation in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The researchers used data from a large database containing information from about 127 million patients across 15 countries, primarily from the U.S. They identified 638,501 individuals with a history of acute pancreatitis.

Focusing on adults with diabetes and obesity who had been diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, researchers examined if drugs like GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, and DPP4 inhibitors affected the risk of pancreatitis recurrence.

Can Ozempic cause pancreatitis?

People taking GLP-1 receptor agonists showed a 15.2% risk of pancreatitis returning compared with 24% in the SGLT2i group.

When GLP-1 patients were compared with those taking DPP4i drugs, the pancreatitis recurrence was 14.4% vs. 23.3%, respectively.

“Our research highlights the safety and the potential for GLP-1 receptor agonists to reduce the risk of acute pancreatitis recurrence in individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes, challenging previous concerns and offering new hope for effective disease management,” said lead researcher Mahmoud Nassar, M.D., Ph.D. at the University at Buffalo.

A 2023 study linked GLP-1 receptor agonists with a 9.09 times higher risk of pancreatitis compared with a weight loss drug bupropion-naltrexone in patients without diabetes.

The authors warned that otherwise healthy individuals using these medications for weight loss should consider the risk of pancreatitis and other possible complications like bowel obstruction and stomach paralysis.

A large study from 2024 found that GLP-1 receptor agonists do not increase the risk of pancreatic cancer in diabetes patients.

The authors of a new study say that the findings could change the treatment landscape for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, particularly those with a history of acute pancreatitis.

Symptoms of pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis usually starts with pain that begins slowly or suddenly in the upper abdomen and can spread to the back. Other symptoms may include fever, nausea and vomiting, fast heartbeat, and swollen or tender abdomen.

Meanwhile, people with chronic pancreatitis can feel pain in the upper abdomen, although some people have no pain at all. The pain, which becomes constant and severe, especially after eating, can spread to the back.

People with chronic pancreatitis may also experience diarrhea, nausea, greasy, foul-smelling stools, vomiting, and weight loss.