Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Overview
Ozempic is a brand name for semaglutide, a once-weekly injection made by Novo Nordisk. Health Canada has authorized it for adults with type 2 diabetes, used together with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control.
Ozempic is not authorized in Canada for weight management. Wegovy contains the same medicine, semaglutide, at different doses and is the product authorized for chronic weight management. Rybelsus is semaglutide in tablet form for type 2 diabetes.
Ozempic needs a prescription. BC residents can speak with a BC-licensed doctor by phone through Avee Health to ask whether it is appropriate for them. The doctor decides based on your health history. A prescription is not guaranteed.
In Canada, Ozempic is authorized for adults with type 2 diabetes to:
- Improve blood sugar control, along with diet and exercise
- Reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults who also have established cardiovascular disease and/or chronic kidney disease
- Reduce the risk of sustained kidney function decline, end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular death in adults who also have chronic kidney disease
Ozempic is not a substitute for insulin. It is not for type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis, and it is not authorized for weight management.
Semaglutide
GLP-1 receptor agonist
diabetes
Prescription required
Available
How Ozempic Works
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It copies the action of GLP-1, a hormone your gut releases after you eat. In people with type 2 diabetes it:
- Helps the pancreas release insulin when blood sugar is high
- Lowers glucagon, which reduces the amount of sugar the liver releases
- Slows how quickly the stomach empties, so sugar enters the blood more slowly after meals
Semaglutide stays in the body for about a week, which is why Ozempic is injected once weekly.
Dosage Instructions of Ozempic
Your doctor sets your dose. The usual schedule in the Canadian product monograph is:
- Start: 0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks. This is a starting dose to help the body adjust, not a dose for blood sugar control.
- Then: 0.5 mg once weekly.
- If more blood sugar control is needed after at least 4 weeks: 1 mg once weekly.
- Maximum: 2 mg once weekly.
Ozempic is injected under the skin of the abdomen, thigh or upper arm, on the same day each week, with or without food.
Missed dose: take it as soon as you remember if it is within 5 days of the missed dose. If more than 5 days have passed, skip it and take the next dose on your usual day. Do not change your dose without talking to your doctor.
Storage Instructions
Before first use, store Ozempic in the refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C. Do not freeze it, and do not use it if it has been frozen. After first use, the pen can be used for up to 8 weeks (56 days). Keep the cap on to protect it from light. Follow the storage instructions in the package insert and keep out of reach of children.
Side Effects of Ozempic
The most common side effects affect the stomach and gut. In clinical trials of the 0.5 mg and 1 mg doses they were reported by:
- Nausea: about 17% to 20% of people
- Diarrhea: about 12% to 13%
- Abdominal pain: about 8% to 9%
- Vomiting: about 6% to 8%
- Constipation: about 6% to 7%
- Decreased appetite: about 6% to 7%
These effects are most common when starting Ozempic or increasing the dose.
Get medical help right away if you have:
- Severe stomach pain that does not go away, with or without vomiting (possible pancreatitis)
- Changes in your vision
- A lump or swelling in the neck, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing
- Signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face or throat or trouble breathing
- Signs of low blood sugar (sweating, shakiness, confusion), mainly if you also take a sulfonylurea or insulin
Important Safety Information About Ozempic
- Thyroid tumours: the Canadian monograph carries a boxed warning. Semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumours in rats and mice. It is not known whether this happens in humans. Do not use Ozempic if you or a family member have had medullary thyroid cancer, or if you have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: do not use Ozempic while pregnant or breastfeeding. Stop it at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy.
- Pancreatitis: stop the medicine and seek care if you develop severe, persistent abdominal pain.
- Diabetic eye disease: in a 2-year trial, complications of diabetic retinopathy occurred in 3.0% of people on Ozempic and 1.8% on placebo. Tell your doctor if you have diabetic eye disease.
- Low blood sugar: the risk is higher when Ozempic is used with a sulfonylurea or insulin.
- Kidneys: vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration, which can worsen kidney function. Drink fluids and tell your doctor if these effects persist.
- Gallbladder problems, including gallstones, have been reported.
Drug Interactions
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about everything you take, including non-prescription products. Points from the Canadian monograph:
- Sulfonylureas and insulin: the risk of low blood sugar is higher. Your doctor may lower the dose of these medicines.
- Warfarin: more frequent INR monitoring is recommended when starting Ozempic.
- Other medicines taken by mouth: Ozempic slows stomach emptying, which could affect how other oral medicines are absorbed. Studies found no clinically relevant effect on oral contraceptives, atorvastatin, digoxin or metformin.
- Medicines that raise heart rate or affect heart rhythm: use with caution.
- Other GLP-1 medicines and DPP-4 inhibitors: Ozempic has not been studied in combination with them.
Brands & DIN Number of Ozempic
Brand Names
- Ozempic
- Wegovy
- Rybelsus
DIN (Drug Identification Numbers)
- 02471477
- 02471469
- 02523930
- 02540258
- 02562618
- 02562626
Key Takeaways
- 1Ozempic is semaglutide, a once-weekly injection authorized in Canada for adults with type 2 diabetes.
- 2It is not authorized in Canada for weight management. Wegovy is the semaglutide product authorized for that use.
- 3Dosing starts at 0.25 mg weekly for 4 weeks and can increase up to a maximum of 2 mg weekly.
- 4Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and constipation are the most common side effects.
- 5Do not use it with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2, or during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- 6BC PharmaCare covers semaglutide for type 2 diabetes only through Special Authority, not for weight loss.
- 7Ozempic needs a prescription. BC residents can ask a BC-licensed doctor by phone whether it is right for them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Avee Editorial
Avee Editorial Team