Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have gained immense popularity in recent years as people work to combat health issues like obesity and diabetes, but like any drug, they carry some risks that you should know about. A recent study decided to take a closer look at how patients taking these glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor drugs (GLP-1 drugs) fared during and after total shoulder replacement surgery. The results are a bit surprising, and they speak to the importance of having a direct conversation with your shoulder surgeon if you are taking these drugs and scheduled to undergo shoulder replacement surgery. Below, we take a closer look at the study and talk more about how weight loss drugs should be managed before total shoulder replacement.
GLP-1s And Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Before we dive into the study, remember that the best advice you’ll receive is from your treating surgeon who can view your shoulder and review your individual health profile. They’ll be able to make the best informed decision for your care.
According to research published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, patients taking GLP-1s may be at an increased risk of certain complications after total shoulder replacement compared to those not taking the weight loss drug. For their analysis, researchers performed a retrospective study of data from 1,259 patients who underwent anatomic or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty between 2010 and 2023. These 1,259 patients were using GLP-1s ahead of their surgery, and their results were tracked against 1,259 patients who were not taking the weight loss drug.
At a 90-day follow up, researchers found that those in the weight loss drug group were more likely to suffer from certain complications, like:
- Deep vein thrombosis (1.6% vs. 0.9%)
- Myocardial infarction (1.6% vs. 0.9%)
- Blood transfusions (7.1% vs. 4.3%)
- Pneumonia (3.34% vs. 1.5%)
- Readmission (8.1% vs. 5.2%)
Researchers did note there was no significant difference in rates of complications like stroke, pulmonary embolism, postoperative anemia or kidney failure at 90 days between the two groups.
While the results are certainly interesting, further investigation is needed to determine if the use of these GLP-1 drugs is what is driving the increasing complication rates. For example, it stands to reason that if patients are taking these weight loss drugs, they are likely heavier and may have other underlying health issues, both of which can complicate surgical outcomes. Their worse overall health may have more to do with these findings than the weight loss drug itself. Moreover, if they’ve achieved significant weight loss with the help of these drugs and lifestyle improvements, they may actually be in a much better position to achieve a favorable outcome after surgery than had they never gone on the drug in the first place. It’s impossible to know for certain the true individual benefit and risk associated with these drugs ahead of your shoulder operation.
The key, as always, is to have an open and honest conversation with your provider ahead of a shoulder replacement operation. If they believe weight loss drugs or other underlying health issues could present additional challenges for the operation or your recovery, they’ll cover these topics during your pre-op consultation so that you know what you can do to help reduce your risk of any issues. We can’t get this risk to zero, but with clear communication and an experienced surgeon, we’re confident that we can greatly reduce your likelihood of an unexpected issue after your shoulder replacement operation.
For more information about total shoulder replacement or treatment options for other shoulder issues, reach out to Dr. Holloway’s office today at (865) 410-7887.
