Ozempic and Mounjaro are each common injectable drugs used to deal with blood sugar ranges in adults with sort 2 diabetes.
This information will clarify the important thing variations between Ozempic and Mounjaro and assist you to resolve which remedy it is best to select.
What are the lively elements in Ozempic versus Mounjaro?
Ozempic and Mounjaro are related medication, however they shouldn’t be mixed or used on the identical time. It’s because they’ve completely different lively elements and mechanisms of motion.
Ozempic’s lively ingredient, semaglutide, particularly mimics GLP-1 hormones within the physique, which play a task in lowering urge for food, slowing abdomen emptying, decreasing the discharge of glucose from the liver, and rising insulin launch.
However, Mounjaro’s lively ingredient, tirzepatide, has a twin perform. It mimics each GLP-1 and GIP incretin hormones, therefore its nickname “twincretin.”
Whereas it shares GLP-1’s results, the addition of GIP motion enhances insulin launch in response to excessive blood sugar and performs a task in fats metabolism.
The mixed exercise of GLP-1 and GIP in Mounjaro provides a broader strategy to regulating blood sugar ranges and urge for food in comparison with GLP-1 alone.
Why do individuals take Ozempic or Mounjaro?
Ozempic and Mounjaro are each used within the therapy of sort 2 diabetes.
They’re liquid, injectable drugs that assist decrease blood sugars and A1c ranges and are taken subcutaneously (slightly below the pores and skin) in areas such because the stomach, thigh, or higher arm.
Each medication assist enhance insulin sensitivity whereas lowering insulin resistance.
One other notable impact is that in addition they gradual digestion and suppress urge for food. Because of this, many individuals who take these drugs expertise weight reduction.
Learn extra in: Can Ozempic Assist You Lose Weight? and Can Mounjaro Assist You Lose Weight?
Ozempic and Mounjaro additionally assist decrease the danger of coronary heart assault and stroke in individuals with sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness.
Folks could also be prescribed Ozempic or Mounjaro “off-label” — in a fashion not formally accredited by the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) — to enhance insulin resistance and assist with weight reduction.
Neither Ozempic nor Mounjaro are FDA-approved particularly for weight reduction. Nevertheless, the FDA has accredited a medicine referred to as Zepbound for this objective.
Learn extra in: Every part You Must Know About Zepbound.
Zepbound is chemically an identical to Mounjaro, containing the identical lively ingredient on the identical energy, however it’s marketed beneath a distinct identify when used for weight-loss therapy.
Persons are not prescribed each Ozempic and Mounjaro concurrently. It’s possible you’ll take one or the opposite. By no means combine the 2 drugs.
How are Ozempic and Mounjaro related?
Ozempic and Mounjaro can be utilized alone or along with different diabetes drugs.
The 2 drugs are related within the following methods:
Decrease blood sugar and A1c ranges
Each Ozempic and Mounjaro have been confirmed to decrease blood sugar and A1c ranges.
Individuals who take the utmost dose of Mounjaro (15 milligrams [mg] per week) decrease their A1c by a mean of two.3 p.c.
Folks taking Ozempic can decrease their A1c by 1.4 to 2.1 p.c, on common.
As outlined earlier, these drugs decrease blood sugar by a number of mechanisms: they improve insulin secretion in response to excessive blood glucose ranges, inhibit the liver from releasing extra glucose into the bloodstream, and enhance total insulin sensitivity.
Moreover, they not directly contribute to higher blood sugar administration by slowing abdomen emptying and decreasing urge for food.
Might trigger weight reduction
Neither remedy is FDA-approved as a weight reduction drug. Nevertheless, research have proven that each medication may help individuals shed extra pounds.
Ozempic suppresses urge for food and slows digestion, which aids in weight reduction.
One research studies that over the course of 40 weeks, individuals taking 1 mg weekly of Ozempic misplaced a mean of 13 kilos. These taking 2 mg weekly misplaced a mean of 15 kilos.
In different research, Mounjaro helped individuals lose 12 to fifteen kilos on a 5-mg weekly dose, between 15 and 21 kilos on a 10-mg weekly dose, and between 17 and 25 kilos on a 15-mg weekly dose.
There is no such thing as a really useful dose to take for weight reduction since these drugs aren’t accredited for weight reduction by the FDA. (For Zepbound, the weight-loss model of Mounjaro, out there doses are 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 15 mg taken by injection as soon as weekly, with 15 mg being the utmost dose.)
Be taught extra about administering these medicines in: Ozempic Injection: The place and The right way to Inject and Mounjaro Injection: The place and The right way to Inject.
Discuss together with your physician when you’re fascinated about shedding pounds. They’ll give you data on each pharmaceutical and life-style approaches that may assist.
Decrease cardiovascular dangers
These drugs help cardiovascular well being, which is vital for individuals residing with diabetes.
In research, after 52 weeks, contributors on the best dose of Mounjaro (15 mg per week):
- Lowered their whole ldl cholesterol by about 5.6 p.c
- Lowered their triglycerides by 22.5 p.c
- Lowered their LDL (“dangerous”) ldl cholesterol by 7.9 p.c
- Lowered their VLDL ldl cholesterol by 21.8 p.c
- Elevated their HDL (“good”) ldl cholesterol by 10.8 p.c
Moreover, a meta-analysis (evaluation of information from a number of scientific trials) from The Lancet discovered that Ozempic lowered cardiovascular danger and even decreased the danger of loss of life in individuals with diabetes and coronary heart illness.
The American Diabetes Affiliation (ADA) recommends GLP-1 agonists for individuals who have sort 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness to decrease cardiovascular danger.
Along with taking Ozempic or Mounjaro, a nutritious diet and an elevated quantity of bodily exercise can go an extended approach to enhancing your coronary heart well being.
Might trigger hostile unintended effects
Each Ozempic and Mounjaro may cause gentle to extreme unintended effects, particularly while you first begin taking the remedy.
Uncomfortable side effects of those drugs embrace:
In addition they could trigger critical unintended effects, together with:
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney issues
- Elevated danger of thyroid most cancers
- Allergic response
Be taught extra in: Ozempic Aspect Results: What You Must Know and Mounjaro Aspect Results: What You Must Know.
They don’t change insulin
Ozempic and Mounjaro don’t change insulin.
In the event you resolve to start therapy with one in all these drugs, you’ll nonetheless must proceed taking your different diabetes drugs as prescribed.
Your insulin wants could go down over time because of improved insulin sensitivity, however you’ll almost definitely not cease insulin therapy altogether.
They are often taken with or with out meals
Not like insulin, these drugs don’t trigger acute low blood sugar ranges and they are often taken with or with out meals.
Eat one thing bland like toast, a banana, or crackers to alleviate any nausea it’s possible you’ll expertise after your injection.
They could worsen diabetic retinopathy
These drugs could trigger or worsen diabetic retinopathy, particularly while you first begin taking them.
Research present that semaglutide, the lively ingredient in Ozempic, is related to the early worsening of diabetic retinopathy.
Equally, tirzepatide, the lively ingredient in Mounjaro could make diabetic retinopathy worse.
Though this facet impact doesn’t happen in all individuals who take these drugs, the medication do include an elevated danger of imaginative and prescient modifications and worsening imaginative and prescient.
Discuss together with your physician when you’ve got early-stage diabetic retinopathy or are involved that taking Ozempic or Mounjaro could influence your eye well being.
How are Ozempic and Mounjaro completely different?
You will need to be aware the important thing variations between these drugs so you may make the healthiest and most suitable option for you.
The 2 drugs are completely different within the following methods:
The dosing will differ
Ozempic and Mounjaro have utterly completely different dosing schemes, and they aren’t interchangeable.
The doses for Ozempic are the next:
- New to therapy: 0.25 mg as soon as per week for the primary 4 weeks.
- Ongoing therapy: 0.5 mg as soon as per week beginning on week 5. In case your physician thinks you require extra, there are doses out there in 1-mg and 2-mg pens.
Learn extra: Ozempic Dosage Information: How A lot Ought to You Take?
The doses for Mounjaro are the next:
- New to therapy: 2.5 mg as soon as per week for the primary 4 weeks.
- Ongoing therapy: 5 mg as soon as per week beginning on week 5. In case your physician thinks you require extra, there are doses out there in 7.5-mg, 10-mg, 12.5-mg, and 15-mg pens.
Learn extra: Mounjaro Dosing Information: How A lot Ought to You Take?
For the reason that lively elements are completely different, these doses aren’t interchangeable and it may be very harmful when you try to make use of them on this method.
They’ve completely different lively elements
The lively ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide and the lively ingredient in Mounjaro is tirzepatide.
Inform your physician in case you are allergic to at least one or the opposite’s lively elements in order that they will prescribe you an alternate.
Can I change between the 2 medication?
This can be doable, so long as you do not need any allergic reactions to the elements of the opposite remedy.
In the event you’re experiencing extreme hostile unintended effects on one drug, it’s possible you’ll want to strive one other to see in case your physique will modify higher to it.
Nevertheless, when you’ve been taking Ozempic, you’ll need to attend a full week out of your final dose earlier than starting your first dose of Mounjaro.
Solely change drugs beneath the steering of your physician. The dosing is totally completely different between the 2 drugs and it doesn’t translate between them.
Even when you’re on the best dose of Ozempic, your physician will most likely begin you on a small dose of Mounjaro (and vice versa) till your physique will get used to the brand new lively ingredient.
Is Ozempic higher than Mounjaro?
Particular person responses to those medicines range, and what’s higher for one particular person will not be higher for an additional.
In research, Mounjaro has been proven to result in improved blood sugar administration and higher weight discount than Ozempic. Nevertheless, Mounjaro is costlier and will trigger extra unintended effects. Ozempic can also be FDA-approved to cut back cardiovascular danger.
How a lot do Ozempic and Mounjaro price?
The out-of-pocket price for Ozempic and Mounjaro relies on your insurance coverage plan, together with any co-pays or deductibles that apply to you. Each drugs are generally coated by insurance coverage for the therapy of sort 2 diabetes, however protection could range when prescribed for off-label functions, comparable to weight reduction.
To test your precise co-pay or protection for both remedy, you should utilize your prescription or medical insurance coverage card to entry the producers’ co-pay calculators:
Ozempic Co-Pay and Protection Calculator
Mounjaro Financial savings Card and Value Estimator
In case you have any questions concerning insurance coverage protection or co-pay prices for Ozempic, you’ll be able to contact Novo Nordisk’s help line at 1-833-OZEMPIC (1-833-693-6742).
For Mounjaro, you’ll be able to attain out to Eli Lilly’s buyer help at 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979).
Affected person help packages
For many who qualify, each Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly supply Affected person Help Applications (PAP) that present free or reduced-cost drugs. These packages are designed to help individuals who do not need insurance coverage or have restricted revenue.
Novo Nordisk PAP (for Ozempic): Name 1-866-310-7549 for extra data.
Lilly Cares PAP (for Mounjaro): Name 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979) for extra data.
All the time communicate together with your healthcare supplier to grasp your eligibility for these packages and to discover any extra financial savings choices.
Can I get off my different diabetes drugs if I lose sufficient weight on Ozempic or Mounjaro?
That is doable however doesn’t often occur.
Reducing weight may help enhance each insulin resistance and blood sugar ranges. Generally this makes your insulin or different diabetes drugs pointless.
That mentioned, Ozempic and Mounjaro gained’t remedy diabetes.
Nevertheless, you might be able to decrease your insulin wants or cease taking insulin utterly when you’ve misplaced a big quantity of weight and your blood sugars are very nicely managed.
This may solely apply to individuals who have sort 2 diabetes, as individuals with sort 1 diabetes should take insulin for all times.
Verify in together with your physician when you’ve got questions on taking your different diabetes drugs whereas on Ozempic or Mounjaro.
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