What is the starting dose volume of Semaglutide in milliliters (ml)?

Starting Dose Volume of Semaglutide

The starting dose of injectable semaglutide (Wegovy) is 0.25 mg subcutaneously once weekly for 4 weeks, which is administered as a gradual dose titration to minimize gastrointestinal adverse effects. 1

Dosing Schedule for Injectable Semaglutide (Wegovy)

• The recommended dosing regimen follows a gradual titration schedule:

  • Start with 0.25 mg subcutaneously once weekly for 4 weeks 1
  • Increase to 0.5 mg once weekly for 4 weeks 1
  • Increase to 1.0 mg once weekly for 4 weeks 1
  • Increase to 1.7 mg once weekly for 4 weeks 1
  • Maintenance dose of 2.4 mg once weekly 1

• This gradual titration is essential to minimize gastrointestinal adverse effects, which are the most common side effects of semaglutide 1, 2

Dosing for Oral Semaglutide (Rybelsus)

• For oral semaglutide (Rybelsus), the starting dose is 3 mg once daily for one month 3
• After one month, increase to 7 mg once daily for at least one month 3
• If additional glycemic control is needed, can increase to 14 mg once daily 3
• Oral semaglutide must be taken on an empty stomach with no more than 4 ounces (120 mL) of plain water, at least 30 minutes before the first food, beverage, or other oral medications of the day 3, 4

Clinical Considerations for Dosing

• Some patients may achieve adequate glycemic control at submaximal doses and can continue at that dose long-term 1, 3

• If a patient misses doses, clinical judgment is needed:

  • If 2 consecutive doses are missed, consider resuming at the same dose or lowering the dose 1
  • If 3 or more consecutive doses are missed, consider restarting the titration schedule 1

• In clinical trials, semaglutide 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg weekly doses showed similar effectiveness in reducing HbA1c (-2.1% for both doses) and weight (-6.1 kg vs -6.2 kg) in patients with type 2 diabetes 5

Administration Considerations

• Injectable semaglutide can be administered at any time of day, with or without meals 1

• For missed doses of injectable semaglutide:

  • If less than 5 days since the missed dose, administer as soon as possible 1
  • If more than 5 days have passed, skip the missed dose 1

• Proper administration of oral semaglutide is critical for absorption and efficacy; taking with food significantly reduces absorption 3, 4

Safety Considerations

• The most common adverse effects are gastrointestinal (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation) but are typically transient and mild-to-moderate in severity 2, 1
• Use caution when combining with insulin or insulin secretagogues due to potential hypoglycemia risk 1, 3
• No dosage adjustment is required for patients with renal impairment 1, 3