From the Guidelines
The long-term side effects of retaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, include gastrointestinal issues, potential thyroid C-cell tumors, pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, and kidney problems, as evidenced by similar medications in the GLP-1 class 1.
Common Side Effects
- Gastrointestinal issues that may persist, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation
- Potential thyroid C-cell tumors, based on animal studies
- Pancreatitis
- Gallbladder disease
- Kidney problems
Less Common Side Effects
- Injection site reactions with continued use
- Muscle loss with prolonged therapy, as weight loss may include both fat and lean muscle mass
- Depression and suicidal thoughts, which have been reported with some GLP-1 medications
- Nutritional deficiencies, which may develop over time due to reduced food intake
- Delayed gastric emptying, potentially affecting the absorption of other medications
Monitoring and Precautions
Patients on retaglutide should have regular medical follow-ups to monitor for these potential effects, especially those with pre-existing thyroid, pancreatic, gallbladder, or kidney conditions 1. It is also important to note that GLP-1 receptor agonists, including retaglutide, are not recommended in patients at risk for thyroid C-cell tumors, pancreatic cancer, or pancreatitis based on theoretical risks from preclinical models.
From the Research
Long-term Side Effects of Retaglutide
The long-term side effects of retaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, are not directly addressed in the provided studies. However, the studies provide information on the safety profile of similar medications, such as semaglutide and retatrutide, which can be used to inform the potential long-term side effects of retaglutide.
Potential Long-term Side Effects
- Pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer: A study published in 2011 2 found that the use of glucagon-like peptide-1-based therapies, such as exenatide, increased the risk of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.
- Thyroid cancer: The same study 2 found that the use of glucagon-like peptide-1-based therapies may also increase the risk of thyroid cancer.
- Gastrointestinal side effects: Studies on retatrutide 3, 4 and semaglutide 5 have reported gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, as common adverse events.
- Cardiovascular effects: A study on semaglutide 5 found that it may increase the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart rate increases.
- Cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis on semaglutide 6 found that its use was not associated with an increased risk of any types of cancer.
Limitations
The provided studies do not directly address the long-term side effects of retaglutide, and more research is needed to fully understand its safety profile. However, the studies on similar medications provide valuable insights into the potential long-term side effects of retaglutide.