From the Guidelines
The normal dosage range for Wegovy (semaglutide) is a gradual titration schedule starting at 0.25 mg once weekly, increasing through 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 1.7 mg at 4-week intervals, until reaching the maintenance dose of 2.4 mg once weekly, as recommended by the most recent and highest quality study 1. This approach is designed to minimize gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that commonly occur with this medication. The medication is administered as a subcutaneous injection, typically in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm, using pre-filled pens. Patients should inject on the same day each week, though the time of day can vary. If a dose is missed and it's more than 2 days until the next scheduled dose, the patient should take it as soon as possible; if less than 2 days remain, they should skip the missed dose and resume the regular schedule. Key considerations for the use of Wegovy include its indication for chronic weight management in adults without type 2 diabetes, with a recommended dose of 2.4 mg SC QW, and potential side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation, as well as precautions like pregnancy and breastfeeding, personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2, and pancreatitis 1. Additionally, the American Gastroenterological Association recommends using semaglutide 2.4 mg with lifestyle modifications for the long-term treatment of obesity, considering its glucoregulatory benefits and approval for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, although gradual dose titration is suggested to mitigate adverse effects like nausea and vomiting 1. Overall, the gradual dose escalation approach of Wegovy is intended to maximize the medication's effectiveness for weight management while improving tolerability. Some important points to consider when prescribing Wegovy include:
- The medication should be used with caution in patients with a history of pancreatitis or cholelithiasis
- Patients should be monitored for suicidal ideation and behavior
- Injection site reactions are common, and patients should be advised to rotate injection sites
- The medication may delay gastric emptying, leading to adverse effects like nausea and vomiting.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Normal Dosage Range for Wegovy
The normal dosage range for Wegovy (semaglutide) is as follows:
- The medication is administered via subcutaneous injection once weekly 2
- The dosage is typically titrated to a maximum dose of 2.4 mg per week 2, 3, 4
- The dose titration patterns may vary in real-world use, with few users following the recommended dose increases every 4 weeks 4
- Some studies have used a dose of 1.0 mg once-weekly, subcutaneous semaglutide 2
Key Points
- Wegovy is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist used for chronic weight management 2
- The medication has been shown to be effective in promoting weight loss and improving health outcomes 5, 2, 3
- Common comorbidities among semaglutide users include hypertension, dyslipidemia, and arthrosis 4
- Real-world semaglutide users generally resemble trial participants, but may not follow the same dose titration schemes 4