Recent findings suggest that semaglutide, a medication commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, may significantly lower the risk of opioid overdose in individuals with both diabetes and opioid use disorder. A research letter published in JAMA Network Open highlights these promising results, although the authors emphasize that further randomized studies are necessary to confirm the therapeutic benefits of semaglutide for treating opioid use disorder.
In the United States, drug overdose fatalities have reached alarming levels, with over 107,500 deaths recorded in 2023. Despite the effectiveness of existing medications for opioid use disorder, only 25% of those affected receive treatment, and around half discontinue it within six months, according to Dr. Rong Xu, a biomedical informatics professor at Case Western Reserve University.
Dr. Xu and his colleagues point out the urgent need for alternative medications to assist individuals in managing opioid use disorder and preventing overdoses. Previous anecdotal reports suggested that semaglutide (marketed as Wegovy and Ozempic by Novo Nordisk) might reduce drug cravings, supported by empirical studies indicating its benefits in treating alcohol and nicotine dependencies.
The researchers conducted a cohort study analyzing electronic health records of 33,006 adults with type 2 diabetes and opioid use disorder who were prescribed various antidiabetic medications from December 2017 to June 2023. Utilizing an emulation target trial methodology—a statistical technique that mimics randomized clinical trials—they identified 3,034 participants (mean age 57; 56.5% female) who received semaglutide.
The results demonstrated that individuals taking semaglutide had a lower risk of opioid overdose over a one-year follow-up period compared to those on other antidiabetic medications, including different GLP-1 receptor agonists. Hazard ratios ranged from 0.32 (95% CI, 0.12-0.89) to 0.58 (95% CI, 0.38-0.87), indicating a significant protective effect.
While these findings are compelling, the researchers acknowledged potential limitations, including biases and uncontrolled confounding variables. They concluded that semaglutide exhibits potential therapeutic value in overdose prevention, but emphasized the necessity for validation through additional data sources and diverse study populations.
Dr. Xu remarked, “Our findings suggest that it is important to continue studying semaglutide as a possible new treatment for combating this terrible epidemic.” Further research could pave the way for innovative strategies to address the ongoing crisis of opioid overdose in vulnerable populations.
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