Preparations for the start of treatment with the Wegobi weight loss injection: this week we published for the first time that the injection has landed in Israel and its marketing will begin in the coming week. Ahead of the start of treatments with the revolutionary injection that was found to not only reduce weight but also prevent heart attacks and strokes, new instructions were published for doctors.
The Vigobi injection has been approved for use in the United States for about two years and in other European countries and is considered the most advanced of the series of weight loss injections developed by the Danish pharmaceutical company "Novo Nordisk". They work with a mechanism called a "GLP1 analog". Weight loss, which led to the thought that the injections would also be effective for weight loss. Subsequent studies showed that the injections lead to significant weight loss, along with balancing diabetes and reducing blood lipid levels.
The GLP1 molecule on which the injection is based, works in a multi-system way: it increases the secretion of the hormone insulin from the pancreas according to the level of glucose in the blood. The higher the sugar level, the more insulin the molecule causes to be secreted, which in turn reduces sugar levels by getting it into the body's cells.
The drug works by another mechanism in which it decreases the secretion of another hormone called glucagon which increases the production of glucose and its release into the blood from the glucose stores in the liver. The hormone usually works when glucose levels drop, and the body protects itself by causing the release of glucose from the liver into the blood.
Another path in which the GLP1 molecule works and which resulted in the weight loss effect is the slowing down of stomach emptying which leads to appetite suppression and an increase in the feeling of satiety through an effect on the hunger center in the brain. In an unclear mechanism, the molecule also reduces cravings for high-fat foods. This year, the manufacturer Novonordisk reported even more encouraging findings: the Vigobi injection also reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks by 20% in overweight people with a history of heart disease.
Vigobi will be given with a private prescription, and the cost is NIS 600 for the low dose of 0.25 mg. Once a week, the doses increase up to the final effective dose of 2.4 milligrams, twice the dose of the corresponding Ozampic injection. The cost of the final dose will reach NIS 1,250. You will be reduced through the supplementary insurances of the health insurance funds, following the encouraging findings that showed weight loss, a reduction in the risk of diabetes and the risks of heart attacks and strokes. The treatment with a gradually increasing dose is designed to reduce the side effects typical of the beginning of treatment, which include nausea, abdominal discomfort or diarrhea. Some patients also report reluctance from certain foods such as high-fat and salty products, and a craving for sweet food.
It is important to note that the weight loss injections are not miracle cures: without a healthy lifestyle that includes proper nutrition and physical activity, the medicine will have no effect. In addition, research observations have shown that stopping the drug leads to an increase up to the original weight and even more. The Vigovi injection can be purchased under a private doctor's prescription.
The new guidelines for doctors state that this is a "non-cosmetic" drug and is intended for chronic treatment of people living with obesity. The drug should be recommended to people with a BMI equal to or above 30 (the index is calculated by dividing the weight by the square of the height, and an index of 30 is considered obese). The drug will also be prescribed to those with a BMI equal to or above 27 accompanied by co-morbidities of fatty liver, hypertension, pre-diabetes, high levels of cholesterol or triglycerides, cardiovascular disease and sleep apnea.
The weight loss goal according to the guidelines should be to lose 15% of body weight or more. According to studies conducted by the company, Wegobi manages to bring about a loss of over 20% of body weight within a year.
The instructions for doctors further state that it must be made clear to patients that this is a chronic treatment, and that stopping the treatment will lead to a return of weight.
At the same time as Vigovi treatment, it is important to be evaluated and monitored by a clinical dietitian, regular exercise and monitored by an exercise specialist. If necessary, a psychosocial assessment should be performed and treatment offered accordingly, as in cases of mental distress.
As part of the regular treatment and in particular when switching to the higher doses of Vigobi, a physical examination, weighing, relevant laboratory tests including blood chemistry, sugar levels, as well as pancreatic and thyroid functions must be performed. It should be noted that studies have found a certain theoretical risk of inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) and tumors in the thyroid gland, therefore the involvement of blood tests before and during the treatment is necessary. The frequency of blood tests has not been determined, but according to convention, patients are referred for blood tests once every two to three months.
Patients who pose therapeutic challenges in the disease of obesity such as insufficient response to treatment, significant co-morbidity, suspicion of obesity as a result of a problem in the brain center called the hypothalamus, are required to consult a specialist endocrinologist at the HMOs.
As mentioned, treatment with Vigovi is done gradually: those who have been treated so far with "Ozmepic" at a dose of 1 mg, will be able to switch to Vigovi at a dose of 1.7 mg once a week for a month, and later as needed up to the maximum dose of 2.4 mg once a week. Patients who are not treated In Ozmepic, they will have to start with a low weekly dose of 0.25 and increase it gradually once a week. Those who were treated with the Saxenda injection in doses over 2.4 mg per day and did not suffer side effects, will be able to switch to Vigobi at a dose of 0.5 mg per week for a month, and then if there are no side effects, gradually increase Once a month until the final dose of Vigobi.
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