Wilmington Oral Surgery patient safety is of paramount importance.
Many of our patients are taking medications for a wide variety of medical conditions. Over the past year, there has been a push in the medical and pharmaceutical industries to use Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss.
A recent report outlines that these medications pose a potential risk to patients when they are under anesthesia. Although the fasting (NPO) guidelines were followed by the patient, an increased incidence of emesis and aspiration was noted. When this occurs, stomach contents end up in the lungs, which is a very serious issue and can result in an ICU admission and even death.
At this point there is no consensus on how to address this issue.
I have read two differing recommendations:
1. Stop the medication for a week prior to anesthesia
2. Stop for three weeks prior to anesthesia
Noting how long these medications work in the body, the three week hold is a better recommendation.
If you are a Wilmington Oral Surgery patient and have questions about this content, please contact our office.
Sincerely,
Dr. Scott Puckett
