What are GLP-1 injections
GLP-1 injections (also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists) are a type of medication that mimics a hormone in your body called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). This hormone naturally helps regulate blood sugar levels by triggering insulin release, reducing the amount of sugar produced by your liver and slowing down how quickly food leaves your stomach.
Alongside helping control blood sugar, GLP-1 injections can help with weight loss by reducing appetite and promoting a feeling of fullness after eating.
How can they help treat my heart?
GLP-1 injections are beneficial for the heart because they improve blood sugar control and promote weight loss. Together, this can help reduce strain on the cardiovascular system and lower blood pressure.
Beyond these effects, GLP-1 receptor agonists directly improve heart and blood vessel health by helping to trigger the widening of the blood vessels, enhancing heart blood flow, reducing inflammation, and slowing the buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls. These medications have also been shown to reduce the chances of major heart events, such as heart attacks and strokes, particularly in people with type 2 diabetes or heart disease.
GLP-1 injections help protect your heart by improving your overall health and directly supporting the heart and blood vessels, thereby lowering the risk of heart problems and death.
Types of GLP-1 injections
There are several types of GLP-1 injections available. They are mainly distinguished by what ingredients they contain, how often they are administered, and what conditions they are approved to treat.
Common GLP-1 injections include:
- Liraglutide – short acting, taken daily – (brand name: Saxenda® or Victoza®)
- Lixisenatide – (brand name: Lyxumia®)
- Dulaglutide – long acting, taken weekly (brand name: Trulicity®)
- Semaglutide – long acting, taken weekly (brand name: Ozempic® and Wegovy®)
- Exenatide – available in both twice-daily (short acting) and weekly forms (long acting) (brand name: Bydureon®)
- Tirzepatide – long acting, taken weekly (brand name: Mounjaro®).
Treatments used for diabetes treatment in the UK include semaglutide, dulaglutide, exenatide, liraglutide, tirzepatide and lixisenatide.
GLP-1 injections licensed specifically for weight loss
Only a select few GLP-1 treatments are approved for weight management and obesity in the UK. These include tirzepatide (Mounjaro®).) and semaglutide (specifically Wegovy®). Other GLP-1 treatments, such as other semaglutide brands (Ozempic® and Rybelsus®), dulaglutide, exenatide, and lixisenatide, are licensed only for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, not for weight loss.
Although some GLP-1 medications are given via injection, they are different from insulin.
Who is suitable for treatment?
These medications are most commonly used in people with type 2 diabetes and, more recently, in certain patients with obesity to help support heart health and weight management.
However, before taking GLP-1 agonists for weight loss, you must meet specific requirements. These are as follows below.
BMI guidelines
GLP-1 agonists can only be prescribed when your Body Mass Index (BMI) is 30kg/m2 or higher, and you have additional psychological or other medical conditions that are related to obesity.
However, someone can be prescribed a GLP-1 agonist if they have a BMI above 27kg/m2 and meet additional criteria below:
- There is a history of type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and dyslipidaemia (high cholesterol)
- Weight loss would lead to improvements in obesity-related health issues.
NICE guidelines also mention that people from Black African, African-Caribbean, Asian, South Asian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern backgrounds can take a GLP-1 agonist at a lower BMI. This is because this group of individuals are at a higher risk from obesity-related health problems at a lower BMI.
Weight loss guidelines
Adults over 18 years can be prescribed a GLP-1 agonist for managing overweight and obesity, alongside a low-calorie diet and physical activity. We would prescribe you a GLP-1 agonist medication once we make sure that you meet the criteria and that you’ll benefit from it.
This should consider your individual needs, such as how this medication will fit into your current treatment plan as well as the risk of side effects, the dose you’ll need, and your personal preferences.
A nutritional plan and carefully crafted exercise program with a focus on resistance training would be offered to complement your medication.
How to self-inject GLP-1 medication
It’s essential to follow the correct steps when self-injecting, as doing it incorrectly can lead to complications. These steps include:
- Check the solution to make sure it’s clear, colourless, and has no floating particles. Also, make sure the expiration date has not passed by checking the label.
- Gather your supplies beforehand. This includes an alcohol pad, bandage, gauze, or tissue, your prepared or mixed medication in a pen or vial, and a syringe.
- Wash your hands thoroughly.
- Use the alcohol pad to clean the area where you’ll give the injection. Make sure you change where injection sites are often, so that you aren’t sticking the same area over and over.
- Draw up the correct dose, either in the prefilled pen or syringe.
- Pinch a large part of your skin and pull it away from the muscle underneath.
- Hold the pen/syringe like a dart. Insert the needle quickly at a 90-degree angle to the skin.
- Gradually inject the medication into yourself.
- Release the skin, then take out the needle slowly.
- Apply bandage, gauze, or tissue as necessary.
Click to view our starting Mounjaro guide
Side effects and risks
GLP-1 injections can cause side effects that can impact your health. Common side effects include:
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
These common side effects often improve over time.
GLP-1 medications generally have a low risk of causing low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) when used by itself. However, this risk increases if taken with insulin or sulfonylureas and may require dose adjustments. Rapid insulin dose reductions can also cause high blood sugar and increase diabetic ketoacidosis risk.
Although rare, GLP-1s can cause serious side effects like acute pancreatitis, with symptoms such as severe stomach pain and vomiting. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you will need urgent medical attention immediately.
There have been reports of suicidal thoughts linked to GLP-1s. This has been investigated, but no clear evidence has been found to determine the cause. However, to be safe, if you notice any changes in mood, you should report this to your healthcare provider.
Talk to our team if you are concerned about any side effects, and we can discuss what treatment may be best for you as well as any adjustments we can make.
Frequently asked questions
Can GLP-1 injections help with heart failure?
Some studies have suggested that GLP-1 agonists may improve outcomes in heart failure. However, more research is needed to confirm this, and they are not yet a standard treatment for heart failure.
Will GLP-1 injections interact with my heart medications?
Generally, they have low risk of causing issues with common heart medications (e.g. beta-blockers). However, they may increase the side effects of blood pressure or diabetes drugs. Therefore, there is a need to adjust the dose of these medications whilst taking GLP-1 injections.
How soon will I see heart health benefits?
Cardiovascular benefits may be noticeable within weeks to months, but a long-term reduction in risk requires consistent use.
I’ve seen firsthand the life-changing benefits of GLP-1 medications for heart health. You’re not just managing a condition, you’re investing in a stronger, healthier heart for years to come.
