Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued its first guideline endorsing GLP-1 therapies for the long-term treatment of obesity, recognizing it as a chronic disease and recommending these agents as part of comprehensive management strategies that include diet, physical activity, and structured care
The peptide binds to melanocortin receptors, particularly MC1R, through a conserved sequence containing histidine, phenylalanine, arginine, and tryptophan residues[1]
[1] [2] Administered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection, Ozempic works by enhancing insulin secretion in response to elevated blood glucose, suppressing glucagon release, and slowing gastric emptying
The mechanisms responsible for these effects are not entirely clear, but the slowing of gastric emptying may be the key driver