Weight loss drugs may cut alcohol, opioid use

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But another study exhibits that blockbuster GLP-1 medication might supply well being advantages past diabetes and weight reduction. 

This time, extra analysis is exhibiting that they could considerably curb addictive behaviors. 

Medication equivalent to Novo Nordisk‘s extremely fashionable diabetes injection Ozempic can minimize drug and alcohol abuse by round half, based on a new study printed final week within the scientific journal Habit. That means Ozempic and comparable medicines might doubtlessly turn out to be a brand new therapy for opioid and alcohol use dysfunction. 

“This examine not solely contributes to the evolving panorama of substance use remedy but in addition opens avenues for extra complete and efficient therapy methods for these affected by” the 2 problems, the examine authors wrote. 

Here is why that is vital. 

Extra instruments are wanted to deal with the continued U.S. opioid epidemic, which was declared a public health emergency in 2017. In 2021, an estimated 2.5 million people ages 18 or above within the U.S. had opioid use dysfunction up to now 12 months, however solely 22% obtained medicines to deal with it, based on the Nationwide Institute on Drug Abuse. Opioids are a consider around 72% of overdose deaths within the U.S., the Nationwide Heart for Drug Abuse Statistics says. 

In the meantime, practically 29 million folks ages 12 and above had alcohol use dysfunction up to now 12 months, based on a 2023 national survey. Extreme alcohol use is the main preventable explanation for dying within the U.S., as about 178,000 people die from it every year, based on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. 

Let’s dive into the brand new information. 

Researchers from Loyola College Chicago examined the digital well being information of greater than 500,000 folks with a historical past of opioid use dysfunction, 8,000 of whom had been taking both GLP-1s or comparable remedies known as GIPs, equivalent to Eli Lilly‘s weight reduction therapy Mounjaro. Mounjaro mimics GLP-1 and one other intestine hormone known as GIP to tamp down urge for food and regulate blood sugar, whereas Ozempic solely targets GLP-1. 

Folks taking GLP-1s or GIPs had a 40% decrease charge of opioid overdose in contrast with those that did not, the examine discovered. Equally, an evaluation of greater than 5,000 folks with a historical past of alcohol use dysfunction and who took these remedies had a 50% decrease charge of intoxication in contrast with those that did not take them. 

The outcomes aren’t any shock. It is according to different research exhibiting the potential of GLP-1s and GIPs to scale back substance-seeking behaviors equivalent to alcohol and nicotine use. Different analysis has additionally proven their promise in treating kidney failure, fatty liver illness, Alzheimer’s illness and obstructive sleep apnea. 

Novo Nordisk’s weight reduction drug Wegovy additionally won approval in the U.S. in March for slashing the chance of great cardiovascular issues in adults with weight problems and coronary heart illness.

However extra analysis is probably going wanted to verify the findings of the brand new examine. Researchers have called for more clinical trials that randomly assign sufferers with a substance use dysfunction to obtain a GLP-1 or a placebo, to verify the potential therapy advantages of medicine like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. 

We’ll proceed to watch what different analysis on this space comes out, so keep tuned for our protection. 

Be happy to ship any ideas, options, story concepts and information to Annika at annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com.

That is Ashley, reporting dwell from Las Vegas. 

I’ve spent the previous couple of days on the exhibition flooring on the health-care know-how convention known as HLTH. Corporations like Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Google and greater than 12,000 different business leaders convened there this 12 months. 

This was my second time attending, and whereas there is a sure irony in strolling by smoke-filled casinos to get to conferences about the way forward for well being care, it is a useful strategy to gauge what applied sciences the business is worked up about. 

As I predicted in my coverage on Sunday, generative AI dominated my discussions, very like it did final 12 months. Nonetheless, the main target was much less in regards to the promise or potential of the tech, and extra about sensible, near-term use circumstances for the know-how. In the event you’re nonetheless skeptical about whether or not well being programs are severe about AI, the reply is undoubtedly sure.     

Suppliers need AI instruments that can drive actual returns for his or her group, each from cost-savings and effectivity standpoints. They don’t seem to be keen to attend lengthy to start out seeing outcomes. Suppliers are additionally on the lookout for steerage about find out how to successfully consider and implement the a whole lot of options which have exploded onto the market. And buyers are asking more durable questions on what a viable enterprise mannequin for a health-care AI firm really seems like. 

There was an enormous give attention to how AI might assist to scale back the mountains of documentation that medical doctors and nurses are chargeable for, which is a significant explanation for burnout within the business. This has been a sizzling subject all 12 months, so it wasn’t a shock to me. Microsoft, Google, GE HealthCare and Amazon all launched new instruments to deal with the problem, as an example. 

“Major care has all the time been suffering from administrative duties. That is pervasive in well being care, nevertheless it’s particularly acute in main care,” Dr. Andrew Diamond, chief medical officer at Amazon’s main care enterprise One Medical, instructed CNBC.  “AI holds great promise to automate or streamline an enormous quantity of that work.” 

However whereas AI for administrative burnout was actually fashionable, different themes additionally began to emerge. There was a number of discuss AI brokers, for instance, which may also help customers reply questions, automate processes and carry out particular duties. A number of corporations are additionally engaged on AI instruments that may assist establish and streamline related scientific trials for sufferers. Microsoft and GE HealthCare each introduced early stage instruments in these areas. 

AI is not going to alter the business in a single day, however I used to be instructed again and again that the innovation is going on quick – particularly by the requirements of well being care, which has a popularity for being sluggish to undertake new tech. 

These corporations are attempting to deal with complicated issues, however there was an actual sense of optimism on the ground. Suppliers, massive tech incumbents and startups all appear to agree that AI is right here to remain, they usually clearly intend to make use of it.

Be happy to ship any ideas, options, story concepts and information to Ashley at ashley.capoot@nbcuni.com.