Wegovy and Mounjaro are two injectable prescription drugs used to assist decrease blood sugar and A1c ranges (a measure of glucose management over the earlier 2 to three months) and assist with weight reduction.
This information will make it easier to determine whether or not Wegovy or Mounjaro is perhaps extra applicable for you.
What are the lively elements in Wegovy versus Mounjaro?
The lively ingredient in Wegovy is semaglutide and the lively ingredient in Mounjaro is tirzepatide. Their mechanisms of motion differ barely.
Semaglutide mimics the glucose-like peptide (GLP)-1 hormones within the physique, which play a task in reducing urge for food, slowing abdomen emptying, lowering the discharge of glucose from the liver, and rising insulin launch.
Tirzepatide has a twin operate. It mimics each GLP-1 and GIP incretin hormones.
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. This enhances their capacity to manage urge for food and stop overeating.
Wegovy and Mounjaro are comparable medicine, however they can’t be mixed or used on the similar time.
Why do individuals take Wegovy or Mounjaro?
Wegovy is FDA-approved for the remedy of weight problems and to assist with weight reduction.
It’s accredited to be used in individuals with a body-mass index (BMI, a measure of weight relative to peak) of 30 or increased or with a BMI of 27 or increased with a number of weight-related circumstances (akin to kind 2 diabetes, hypertension, or excessive ldl cholesterol).
Adolescents 12 years and older with a BMI at or larger than the ninety fifth percentile for age and intercourse are additionally accredited to take Wegovy.
Mounjaro is FDA-approved as a remedy to assist adults with kind 2 diabetes handle their blood sugar ranges.
They’re each liquid, injectable drugs that assist decrease blood sugar ranges and A1c ranges. They’re taken subcutaneously (just below the pores and skin) in areas such because the stomach, thigh, or higher arm.
Study extra about administering these medicines in: Wegovy Injection Information: The place and The way to Inject and Mounjaro Injection: The place and The way to Inject.
Folks coping with insulin resistance and weight acquire could also be prescribed certainly one of these drugs. It’s because, along with blood sugar administration, additionally they sluggish digestion and suppress urge for food.
Learn extra in: Can Wegovy Assist You Lose Weight? and Can Mounjaro Assist You Lose Weight?
Lastly, Wegovy and Mounjaro each decrease the chance of coronary heart assault and stroke.
How are Wegovy and Mounjaro comparable?
The next are the consequences of each drugs:
Decrease blood sugar and A1c ranges
Each 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 %.
The STEP 2 trial checked out Wegovy’s results on blood sugars and A1c ranges in individuals who have kind 2 diabetes.
The researchers discovered that contributors taking the treatment not solely misplaced weight however noticed statistically vital enhancements of their blood sugars and A1c ranges.
These drugs do that by rising insulin secretion.
This motion stops the liver from releasing glucose into the bloodstream, serving to to stop low blood sugars whereas rising insulin sensitivity.
Could trigger weight reduction
In research, each medicines trigger weight reduction in contributors by suppressing urge for food and inhibiting the liver from releasing glucose.
In a single research, grownup contributors taking Wegovy misplaced 15 % of their beginning weight, on common.
A separate research discovered that adolescents taking Wegovy misplaced 16 % of their beginning weight, on common.
Mounjaro also can assist with weight reduction, though it isn’t FDA-approved as a standalone weight-loss drug. Nevertheless, the FDA has accredited a medicine known as Zepbound for this goal.
Zepbound is chemically an identical to Mounjaro, containing the identical lively ingredient on the similar power, however it’s marketed below a unique title when used for weight-loss remedy.
In 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 isn’t a advisable dose to take for weight reduction since these drugs aren’t accredited for this goal by the FDA.
(For Zepbound, the weight-loss model of Mounjaro, accessible 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.)
Learn extra in: Every part You Have to Know About Zepbound.
Speak along with your physician should you’re desirous about reducing weight. They will offer you info on each pharmaceutical and life-style approaches that may assist.
Defend coronary heart well being
These drugs each decrease coronary heart illness threat, which is necessary for individuals residing with diabetes.
In research, after 52 weeks, contributors on the best dose of Mounjaro (15 mg per week):
- Lowered their complete ldl cholesterol by about 5.6 %
- Lowered their triglycerides by 22.5 %
- Lowered their LDL (“dangerous”) ldl cholesterol by 7.9 %
- Lowered their VLDL ldl cholesterol by 21.8 %
- Elevated their HDL (“good”) ldl cholesterol by 10.8 %
Moreover, a meta-analysis (evaluation of information from a number of medical trials) from The Lancet discovered that GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs, together with semaglutide (the lively ingredient in Wegovy), lowered cardiovascular threat.
They even decreased the chance of demise in individuals with diabetes and coronary heart illness.
The American Diabetes Affiliation (ADA) recommends GLP-1 agonists for individuals who have kind 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness to decrease the chance of coronary heart assault and stroke.
Along with drugs, consuming a nutritious diet and rising the quantity of bodily exercise you routinely get will go a protracted method to bettering your coronary heart well being.
Could trigger opposed unwanted effects
Folks expertise comparable unwanted effects whereas taking both of those drugs.
They might each trigger nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, suppressed urge for food, and low blood sugar (should you take insulin).
Unintended effects will probably be extra extreme while you first begin taking the treatment till your physique adjusts to it.
Contact your physician should you’re experiencing debilitating unwanted effects which are negatively affecting your high quality of life.
They will both decrease your dose or discover another treatment for you.
Study extra in: Wegovy Aspect Results: What You Have to Know and Mounjaro Aspect Results: What You Have to Know.
They don’t substitute insulin
Whereas these drugs decrease blood sugar ranges, they don’t substitute the necessity for insulin.
They might, over time, cut back the quantity of insulin you require, however they don’t seem to be insulin nor are they replacements for insulin.
Speak along with your physician should you’re experiencing frequent low blood sugar.
They might help you recalibrate your insulin doses so you may expertise fewer lows.
They’re taken as soon as weekly
In contrast to different GLP-1 drugs like Victoza, each Wegovy and Mounjaro are solely taken as soon as weekly.
By no means take multiple dose inside a single week.
They are often taken with or with out meals
These drugs don’t trigger acute low blood sugar and could be taken each with or with out meals.
The necessary factor is that they’re taken on the identical day every week (ideally across the similar time, so that you all the time keep in mind to take your dose).
Generally individuals will pair taking their treatment with a meal, like breakfast, however it isn’t required.
If you happen to expertise acute nausea instantly after taking your treatment, you might wish to eat one thing bland like oatmeal or toast to assist.
They might trigger adjustments to your imaginative and prescient
These drugs could trigger or worsen diabetic retinopathy, particularly while you first begin taking them.
Research present that semaglutide (the lively ingredient in Wegovy) is related to the early worsening of diabetic retinopathy.
Equally, the lively ingredient in Mounjaro (tirzepatide) could make diabetic retinopathy worse.
Though this aspect impact doesn’t happen in all individuals who take these drugs, the medicine do include an elevated threat of imaginative and prescient adjustments and worsening imaginative and prescient.
Speak along with your physician when you’ve got early-stage diabetic retinopathy or are involved that taking Wegovy or Mounjaro could affect your eye well being.
How are Wegovy and Mounjaro totally different?
Wegovy and Moujaro, whereas being remarkably comparable, are totally different medicine.
The next are the methods by which these drugs differ:
They’ve totally different doses
The doses for Wegovy are the next:
- New to remedy: 0.25 mg as soon as per week for the primary 4 weeks.
- Ongoing remedy: 0.5 mg as soon as per week beginning on week 5. In case your physician thinks you require extra, there are doses accessible in 1-mg, 1.7-mg, and a pair of.4-mg pens.
Learn extra: Wegovy Dosage Information: How A lot Ought to You Take?
The doses for Mounjaro are the next:
- New to remedy: 2.5 mg as soon as per week for the primary 4 weeks.
- Ongoing remedy: 5 mg as soon as per week beginning on week 5. In case your physician thinks you require extra, there are doses accessible in 7.5-mg, 10-mg, 12.5-mg, and 15-mg pens. For the reason that lively elements are totally different, these drugs usually are not interchangeable.
Learn extra: Mounjaro Dosing Information: How A lot Ought to You Take?
For the reason that lively elements are totally different, these doses usually are not interchangeable and it may be very harmful should you try to make use of them on this method.
They’ve totally different lively elements
The lively ingredient in Wegovy is semaglutide (the identical as in Ozempic), and the lively ingredient in Mounjaro is tirzepatide.
Speak along with your physician in case you are allergic to 1 or the opposite’s lively ingredient in order that they’ll prescribe you another.
They’re FDA-approved for various causes
Wegovy is meant for use as a weight-loss and/or weight-maintenance drug. It isn’t an accredited treatment for the remedy of kind 2 diabetes.
Nevertheless, many individuals who take Wegovy for weight reduction or weight upkeep also can expertise the improved blood sugar results of taking the treatment.
Mounjaro, alternatively, is an FDA-approved treatment for the administration of blood sugar ranges in individuals with kind 2 diabetes.
It additionally helps with weight reduction, despite the fact that it isn’t FDA-approved as a weight-loss drug. (As famous above, a model of the drugs often known as Zepbound has been accredited by the FDA for weight reduction.)
Since many individuals with kind 2 diabetes additionally battle with their weight, taking Mounjaro for improved blood sugar administration also can assist with weight reduction.
Can I change between the 2 medicine?
In some circumstances, sure.
So long as you do not need any allergy symptoms to the elements of the opposite treatment, it could be attainable.
If you happen to’re experiencing extreme opposed unwanted effects on one drug, you might want to attempt one other to see in case your physique will modify higher to it.
You’re extra possible to have the ability to change between these two drugs should you fall below the eligibility standards for each. Particularly, weight problems and kind 2 diabetes.
If you happen to solely have kind 2 diabetes, your insurance coverage could solely cowl Mounjaro for you.
Alternately, when you’ve got weight problems however not kind 2 diabetes, you might solely qualify for Wegovy.
Solely change drugs below the steerage of your physician.
The dosing is totally totally different between the 2 drugs and overdosing on these drugs could cause extreme unwanted effects.
These unwanted effects embody nausea, vomiting, and low blood sugar ranges — which could be deadly if not handled rapidly.
Can I get off my different diabetes drugs if I lose sufficient weight on Wegovy or Mounjaro?
This can be attainable, however it isn’t possible.
Shedding pounds might help enhance each insulin resistance and blood sugar ranges. Generally this makes your insulin or different diabetes drugs pointless.
Nevertheless, neither Wegovy nor Mounjaro will remedy diabetes.
You might be able to decrease your insulin wants or cease taking insulin utterly should you’ve misplaced a big quantity of weight and your blood sugar ranges are very effectively managed.
This can solely apply to individuals who have kind 2 diabetes, as individuals with kind 1 diabetes should take insulin for all times.
Test along with your physician when you’ve got questions on taking your different diabetes drugs whereas on Wegovy or Mounjaro.
Is Wegovy higher than Mounjaro?
Particular person responses to those medicines range, and what’s higher for one particular person is probably not higher for one more.
Moreover, as a result of they’re accredited for various functions, it’s difficult to immediately examine their effectiveness.
By way of weight reduction alone, current analysis has instructed that individuals taking the lively ingredient in Mounjaro usually tend to lose 5 %, 10 %, or 15 % of their weight and to have a bigger discount of their weight at 3, 6, and 12 months in comparison with these taking the lively ingredient in Wegovy.
How a lot do Wegovy and Mounjaro price?
The price of Wegovy and Mounjaro varies relying in your insurance coverage protection and particular plan particulars.
To find out your particular co-pay or out-of-pocket prices, seek the advice of your prescription or medical card and use the Wegovy or Mounjaro protection and co-pay calculators.
You probably have questions relating to protection or co-pay prices for Wegovy, you may contact Novo Nordisk buyer help at 1-888-693-4883. For Mounjaro, Eli Lilly affords buyer help at 1-800-545-5979.
For many who qualify, each Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly supply Affected person Help Packages (PAP) which will present free treatment.
To study extra about these applications and see in case you are eligible, contact Novo Nordisk’s PAP toll-free at 1-866-310-7549 or Eli Lilly’s PAP at 1-800-545-6962.
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