Ozempic and Mounjaro are each widespread injectable medicines used to deal with blood sugar ranges in adults with kind 2 diabetes.
This information will clarify the important thing variations between Ozempic and Mounjaro and provide help to determine which remedy it is best to select.
What are the energetic components in Ozempic versus Mounjaro?
Ozempic and Mounjaro are comparable medication, however they shouldn’t be mixed or used on the similar time. It is because they’ve totally different energetic components and mechanisms of motion.
Ozempic’s energetic 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.
Then again, Mounjaro’s energetic 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 affords a broader strategy to regulating blood sugar ranges and urge for food in comparison with GLP-1 alone.
Why do folks take Ozempic or Mounjaro?
Ozempic and Mounjaro are each used within the therapy of kind 2 diabetes.
They’re liquid, injectable medicines 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 additionally they gradual digestion and suppress urge for food. Consequently, many individuals who take these medicines 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 chance of coronary heart assault and stroke in folks with kind 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness.
Folks could also be prescribed Ozempic or Mounjaro “off-label” — in a way not formally permitted 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. Nonetheless, the FDA has permitted a drugs referred to as Zepbound for this goal.
Learn extra in: Every part You Must Know About Zepbound.
Zepbound is chemically similar to Mounjaro, containing the identical energetic ingredient on the similar energy, however it’s marketed beneath a special title when used for weight-loss therapy.
Individuals are not prescribed each Ozempic and Mounjaro concurrently. You might take one or the opposite. By no means combine the 2 medicines.
How are Ozempic and Mounjaro comparable?
Ozempic and Mounjaro can be utilized alone or along with different diabetes medicines.
The 2 medicines are comparable 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 medicines decrease blood sugar via a number of mechanisms: they enhance 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 raised blood sugar administration by slowing abdomen emptying and decreasing urge for food.
Could trigger weight reduction
Neither remedy is FDA-approved as a weight reduction drug. Nonetheless, research have proven that each medication may help folks shed pounds.
Ozempic suppresses urge for food and slows digestion, which aids in weight reduction.
One research stories that over the course of 40 weeks, folks 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 folks 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 medicines aren’t permitted 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.
Speak together with your physician in the event you’re all in favour of dropping pounds. They will offer you info on each pharmaceutical and way of life approaches that may assist.
Decrease cardiovascular dangers
These medicines assist cardiovascular well being, which is vital for folks residing with diabetes.
In research, after 52 weeks, contributors on the very 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 threat and even decreased the chance of demise in folks 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 cardiovascular threat.
Along with taking Ozempic or Mounjaro, a nutritious diet and an elevated quantity of bodily exercise can go an extended approach to bettering your coronary heart well being.
Could trigger adversarial unwanted effects
Each Ozempic and Mounjaro could cause delicate to extreme unwanted effects, particularly whenever you first begin taking the remedy.
Negative effects of those medicines embrace:
In addition they might trigger severe unwanted effects, together with:
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney issues
- Elevated threat 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 substitute insulin
Ozempic and Mounjaro don’t substitute insulin.
When you determine to start therapy with one among these medicines, you’ll nonetheless must proceed taking your different diabetes medicines as prescribed.
Your insulin wants might go down over time on account of improved insulin sensitivity, however you’ll most probably not cease insulin therapy altogether.
They are often taken with or with out meals
Not like insulin, these medicines 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 chances are you’ll expertise after your injection.
They might worsen diabetic retinopathy
These medicines might trigger or worsen diabetic retinopathy, particularly whenever you first begin taking them.
Research present that semaglutide, the energetic ingredient in Ozempic, is related to the early worsening of diabetic retinopathy.
Equally, tirzepatide, the energetic ingredient in Mounjaro could make diabetic retinopathy worse.
Though this facet impact doesn’t happen in all individuals who take these medicines, the medication do include an elevated threat of imaginative and prescient adjustments and worsening imaginative and prescient.
Speak together with your physician when you have early-stage diabetic retinopathy or are involved that taking Ozempic or Mounjaro might affect your eye well being.
How are Ozempic and Mounjaro totally different?
It is very important observe the important thing variations between these medicines so you may make the healthiest and most suitable option for you.
The 2 medicines are totally different within the following methods:
The dosing will differ
Ozempic and Mounjaro have utterly totally 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 energetic components are totally different, these doses usually are not interchangeable and it may be very harmful in the event you try to make use of them on this method.
They’ve totally different energetic components
The energetic ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide and the energetic ingredient in Mounjaro is tirzepatide.
Inform your physician in case you are allergic to 1 or the opposite’s energetic components in order that they will prescribe you another.
Can I swap between the 2 medication?
This can be doable, so long as you would not have any allergy symptoms to the components of the opposite remedy.
When you’re experiencing extreme adversarial unwanted effects on one drug, chances are you’ll want to attempt one other to see in case your physique will modify higher to it.
Nonetheless, in the event you’ve been taking Ozempic, you will have to attend a full week out of your final dose earlier than starting your first dose of Mounjaro.
Solely swap medicines beneath the steerage of your physician. The dosing is totally totally different between the 2 medicines and it doesn’t translate between them.
Even in the event you’re on the very best dose of Ozempic, your physician will in all probability begin you on a small dose of Mounjaro (and vice versa) till your physique will get used to the brand new energetic ingredient.
Is Ozempic higher than Mounjaro?
Particular person responses to those medicines fluctuate, and what’s higher for one individual might not be higher for an additional.
In research, Mounjaro has been proven to result in improved blood sugar administration and larger weight discount than Ozempic. Nonetheless, Mounjaro is costlier and should trigger further unwanted effects. Ozempic can be FDA-approved to scale back cardiovascular threat.
How a lot do Ozempic and Mounjaro value?
The out-of-pocket value for Ozempic and Mounjaro depends upon your insurance coverage plan, together with any co-pays or deductibles that apply to you. Each medicines are generally coated by insurance coverage for the therapy of kind 2 diabetes, however protection might fluctuate when prescribed for off-label functions, reminiscent of weight reduction.
To verify your actual co-pay or protection for both remedy, you should use 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 Price Estimator
When you have any questions relating to insurance coverage protection or co-pay prices for Ozempic, you may contact Novo Nordisk’s assist line at 1-833-OZEMPIC (1-833-693-6742).
For Mounjaro, you may attain out to Eli Lilly’s buyer assist at 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979).
Affected person help applications
For many who qualify, each Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly supply Affected person Help Packages (PAP) that present free or reduced-cost medicines. These applications are designed to help individuals who would not have insurance coverage or have restricted earnings.
Novo Nordisk PAP (for Ozempic): Name 1-866-310-7549 for extra info.
Lilly Cares PAP (for Mounjaro): Name 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979) for extra info.
All the time converse together with your healthcare supplier to grasp your eligibility for these applications and to discover any further financial savings choices.
Can I get off my different diabetes medicines if I lose sufficient weight on Ozempic or Mounjaro?
That is doable however doesn’t often occur.
Dropping pounds may help enhance each insulin resistance and blood sugar ranges. Generally this makes your insulin or different diabetes medicines pointless.
That stated, Ozempic and Mounjaro received’t treatment diabetes.
Nonetheless, you could possibly decrease your insulin wants or cease taking insulin utterly in the event you’ve misplaced a major quantity of weight and your blood sugars are very nicely managed.
It will solely apply to individuals who have kind 2 diabetes, as folks with kind 1 diabetes should take insulin for all times.
Examine in together with your physician when you have questions on taking your different diabetes medicines whereas on Ozempic or Mounjaro.
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