A new study by True You Weight Loss and Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School reveals that patients can safely maintain their GLP-1 medications during Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG), an FDA-approved, same-day, non-surgical procedure for adults with obesity.

CARY, N.C., July 16, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A new study by True You Weight Loss and Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School found that patients can safely continue their GLP-1 medications while undergoing endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), an FDA-approved, same-day, non-surgical procedure for adults with obesity.

Many patients taking GLP-1 medications for weight management and/or type 2 diabetes elect to have ESG to maximize weight loss impact, but previous guidelines by the American Society of Anesthesiologists recommend stopping GLP-1 medications entirely prior to an endoscopy procedure due to safety concerns. One of the main actions of these weight loss drugs is to slow stomach emptying after meals, increasing feelings of satiety. Due to the slow stomach emptying, there was concern over aspiration during surgical procedures.

A handful of studies have evaluated modifying the timing of GLP-1 medications in relation to endoscopic procedures. However, no studies have examined other factors that might allow patients to remain on their medications while still undergoing the procedures, until now. Dr. Daniel Maselli, True You Weight Loss Associate Director of Research and bariatric endoscopist says he designed this research based on a comprehensive understanding of digestion and how quickly liquids are digested compared to solids. "Our goal was to ensure the patient's stomach was sufficiently emptied before endoscopy rather than forcing patients to pause their GLP-1 medication, and our study revealed that a simple 24-hour liquid fast achieves this goal, fully emptying the stomach and avoiding the risk of retained stomach contents and aspiration."

GLP-1 and Endoscopic Procedures: Study Results

The study, published in May 2024 in the journal Obesity Surgery, involved a retrospective evaluation of 57 patients undergoing ESG while on GLP-1 medications from August 2022 to February 2024. Rather than stopping the medication before ESG, patients followed a liquid diet the day before and fasted for 12 hours immediately prior to their procedure. Most of the patients were women (about 90%) and had an average age of 44 years. About 61% had type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes.

The study spanned 18 months at three centers: True You Weight Loss (Cary, NC and Atlanta, GA locations) and Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston, MA). All physicians involved in this study are experts in both bariatric endoscopy and obesity medicine, so they are uniquely suited to help patients navigate both ESG and GLP-1 medications. The study authors reviewed procedure notes, video footage, and anesthesia documentation for outcomes that could be hazardous to patient health, such as retained food in the stomach or any instances of regurgitation or aspiration. None of these unfavorable outcomes were observed in any of the 57 patients evaluated.

"More and more patients are using GLP-1 medications to great weight loss success, and they've invested time, effort, and money into these important treatments," said Dr. Maselli, noting that missing doses can reduce the medication's effectiveness. "As a result of this research, our patients can feel confident knowing that dietary modification, rather than interrupted dosing, will allow them to safely undergo an ESG procedure while on GLP-1 medications."

True You Weight Loss is the nation's first physician-founded medical practice focused on providing non-surgical, state-of-the-art weight loss procedures. The expert team at True You continues to follow the dietary modification protocol evaluated in this study with their patients seeking ESG while on GLP-1 medications.

Learn more about the innovative research studies at True You Weight Loss.

About True You Weight Loss, PLLC

Founded by Dr. Christopher McGowan, True You Weight Loss, PLLC, is the nation's first dedicated endobariatric weight loss center. True You Weight Loss offers a comprehensive range of endobariatric procedures and support services to help patients lose weight, including endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), bariatric revisional procedures, intragastric balloon placement, and medical nutrition therapy. To learn more, visit www.trueyouweightloss.com or follow True You on Facebook and Instagram.

About Dr. Daniel B. Maselli, MD, ABOM

Dr. Dan Maselli is a Princeton University graduate who is triple-board-certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology, and obesity medicine. With more than twelve years of medical training and expertise, Dr. Maselli is one of the country's highest volume bariatric endoscopists. As a leader in the field, Dr. Maselli travels around the U.S. to lead workshops and train other physicians, and routinely delivers lectures about endobariatrics at state and national conferences for major medical societies, including the Georgia Gastroenterologic and Endoscopic Society and the Obesity Medical Association.

Media Contact

Jill Dykes, True You Weight Loss, 1 919-749-8488, jill@jilldykespr.com, https://trueyouweightloss.com/ 

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SOURCE True You Weight Loss