Ismail Badran’s Post

A step forward for obesity treatment! Medicare will cover Wegovy, a GLP-1 agonist, for patients with overweight/obesity and established cardiovascular disease to prevent heart attacks and stroke. This is a highly effective weight loss medication (when used in combination with healthy nutrition and increased physical activity) that will now be available to many patients who previously were not able to get it through insurance. The out of pocket cost is $1000+ per month so not many are able to afford it without coverage. https://lnkd.in/gWi9CcbS

🎥 Empowering Health: The Ozempic® Journey 🌟 | Aakash Khurana Ozempic (semaglutide) is a prescription drug that’s used in people with type 2 diabetes. #OzempicJourney 🌟#DiabetesManagement 🩸 #HealthierLife 💪 #WeeklyMedication 💊 #Type2Diabetes 📉 #WellnessGoals 🌿 #BloodSugarControl 📊 #HealthyHabits 🏋️♂️ #EmpowerYourHealth 🌟 #Semaglutide 🌼 Ozempic® (semaglutide) is a once-weekly prescription medicine used to manage type 2 diabetes. Here are some key points about Ozempic®: How It Works: * Ozempic® helps lower blood sugar levels by increasing insulin production from the pancreas. * It also reduces appetite, which may contribute to weight loss. Benefits: * Proven to lower blood sugar (A1C) effectively. * Reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events (such as stroke, heart attack, or death) in adults with known heart disease. * May help with weight loss (although it’s not specifically a weight loss drug). Important Safety Information: * Do not share your Ozempic® pen with others, even if the needle has been changed. Sharing can lead to serious infections. * Ozempic® may cause thyroid tumors, including cancer. If you experience symptoms like a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath, consult your healthcare provider. * Avoid using Ozempic® if you have a history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). * Allergic reactions to semaglutide or its ingredients should be reported to your healthcare provider. For more info: https://lnkd.in/gCM7xP8U

Cinacalcet tablets, used for chronic kidney disease, have been recalled across the U.S. due to potential carcinogenic impurities. Over 285,000 bottles are affected, with the FDA classifying this as a Class II recall. Consumers should review lot numbers and consult healthcare providers if impacted. #consumersafety #healthalerts #legalnews #recall #FDA #kidneydisease https://lnkd.in/d-Ky2HTB

New study on Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) vs. Insulin for Diabetes Control, which affects over 38 million Adults. Let's see how this affects insurance coverage. #Tirzepatide #Mounjaro #diabetestreatment #Diabetes #weightmanagement #ObesityMedicine

Exploring diabetes treatments? Rybelsus and Wegovy both leverage semaglutide but in distinct forms—Rybelsus as a daily pill and Wegovy as a weekly injection. Discover which one leads in managing weight and blood sugar—Rybelsus shows promising results, while Wegovy is linked to a significant weight loss of up to 16% in trials. 💊🔍 #diabetestreatment #weightloss #treatment #injection #forms #results #discover #treatments #diabetestreatments Read the full article👉https://loom.ly/AHPAPxs

Read my Medscape article on the responsible use of compounded GLP-1s in Obesity care. Instead of a complete ban, we should guide their usage safely and in line with the FD&C Act. This approach can be especially beneficial for patients with cardiovascular disease during branded medication shortages. Check it out! #GLP1s #ObesityCare #FDCA #PatientSafety

"You cannot learn what you think you already know." – Epictetus Much of what some prescribers have stated in news stories and even here about compounded drugs is simply inaccurate and misinformed. As Dr. Einav indicates in his piece, FDA-approved drugs should ALWAYS be the first line of therapy. But it's simply not rational, fair, or compassionate to say to a patient when a life-changing medication is in shortage that they'll just need to do without – particularly when compounding pharmacies are using the EXACT SAME API made by the EXACT SAME CONTRACT MANUFACTURERS that supply the drug manufacturers and ADHERING TO THE EXACT SAME FORMULA used by the drug manufacturers (Fun fact: It's printed in the insert for the branded drug). True, compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. That's why they are not a first-line therapy. But FDA approval is no guarantee of safety, and absence of FDA approval does not mean unsafe. Is the risk higher? Perhaps. But it's a leap to jump from "higher-risk" to "unsafe." And all that bluster about not knowing what's in a compounded medication? Total nonsense. Compounded drugs come with a certificate of analysis attesting to purity, plus compounding labs submit their preparations for third party testing.

The rise in popular #GLP-1 medications like #Ozempic for weight loss has patients asking if they are safe to take long-term. Thanks, TODAY.com for sharing my insights on this important topic. With millions of patients using these medications and decades of experience with this class for treating diabetes, the safety concerns are very low. However, patients and providers must recognize that GLP-1 therapy is a long-term commitment. These medications are designed to be used in one way and only one way: continuously. Stopping meds can lead to weight regain and a resurgence of hunger, often more intense than before. And like any medication, GLP-1s can come with side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. As an obesity medicine physician, I've seen these medications not only help patients lose weight but also improve overall health by addressing conditions tied to obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease. Obesity is a chronic, complex disease, and treating it requires a tailored approach that best meets each patient’s unique needs and helps them achieve long-term success. https://lnkd.in/gzWZiGAe

Important reminder about medication safety: a recent study highlighted the potential risks of an overdose of liraglutide, a diabetes medication. Always adhere to prescribed doses, and seek medical help immediately if accidental overdose happens. Safety first! #DiabetesAwareness #MedicationSafety https://lnkd.in/gpietEne

Exciting News in Healthcare! According to Biopharma Dive, Medicare is set to reimburse Novo Nordisk's Wegovy for treating obesity and heart disease. Wegovy, which is already approved by the FDA for chronic weight management, has shown remarkable efficacy in reducing body weight and addressing related comorbidities, including cardiovascular risks. Now, with Medicare's decision to reimburse for this treatment, millions of individuals struggling with obesity and its associated health complications will have greater access to potentially life-changing care. Check out the article below: #HealthcareInnovation #Wegovy #ObesityTreatment #HeartDisease #MedicareCoverage #NovoNordisk #HealthcareAccessibility