From the Guidelines
The lowest dose of Ozempic (semaglutide) administered weekly is 0.25 mg. This dose is used as an initial introductory dose for the first four weeks of treatment, as recommended in the management guidelines for healthcare professionals 1. The purpose of starting with this low dose is to help patients adjust to the medication and minimize potential gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. After four weeks at this initial dose, patients can increase to 0.5 mg weekly, which is considered the first therapeutic dose for managing type 2 diabetes. Key points about the dosing of Ozempic (semaglutide) include:
- The initial dose of 0.25 mg once weekly is used for the first four weeks.
- The dose can be increased to 0.5 mg once weekly after four weeks if additional glycemic control is required, and further to 1 mg once weekly after another four weeks on the 0.5 mg dose, as indicated in the study 1.
- It's crucial to follow the gradual dose escalation approach to allow the body to develop tolerance to the medication's effects on the digestive system.
- Patients should administer Ozempic on the same day each week, with flexibility to change the day if necessary, provided the last dose was at least 48 hours earlier.
From the FDA Drug Label
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
2.1 Recommended Dosage • Start OZEMPIC with a 0.25 mg subcutaneous injection once weekly for 4 weeks. The 0.25 mg dose is intended for treatment initiation and is not effective for glycemic control.
The lowest dose of Ozempic (semaglutide) administered weekly is 0.25 mg. This dose is used for treatment initiation and is administered once weekly for 4 weeks, as stated in the drug label 2.
From the Research
Dosage Information
- The lowest dose of Ozempic (semaglutide) administered weekly is 0.5 mg, as indicated in studies 3, 4, 5.
- This dose is part of the phase III clinical trials of the SUSTAIN programme, which demonstrated the efficacy and safety of semaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes 3.
- The 0.5 mg dose has been shown to significantly decrease HbA1c and bodyweight in patients with type 2 diabetes compared to placebo 5.
- Semaglutide is administered via subcutaneous injection, and the 0.5 mg dose is one of the two approved doses, the other being 1.0 mg 4.
Comparison of Doses
- Studies have compared the efficacy and safety of 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg doses of semaglutide, with the 1.0 mg dose showing greater glucose-lowering activity and weight loss 3, 6.
- However, the 0.5 mg dose is still considered effective and safe for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and may be a suitable option for patients who require a lower dose 5.