Semaglutide Doubles Risk for Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2025 -- Use of once-weekly semaglutide more than doubles the risk for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) in individuals with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in the International Journal of Retina and Vitreous.
Jakob Grauslund, D.M.Sci., Ph.D., M.D., from Odense University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues prospectively evaluated the use of semaglutide and risk for NAION in people with type 2 diabetes. The analysis included 424,152 individuals (2018 to 2024) exposed (106,454 individuals) or not exposed (317,698 individuals) to once-weekly semaglutide.
The researchers found that semaglutide exposure was significantly associated with a higher incidence rate (0.228 versus 0.093 per 1,000 person-years) and independently predicted a higher risk for upcoming NAION (hazard ratio, 2.19), even when accounting for multiple other factors. Of the 67 persons exposed to semaglutide who developed NAION, there was a median time from first prescription to event of 22.2 months (interquartile range, 10.2 to 37.8 months).
"During five years of observation of all persons with type 2 diabetes in Denmark, use of once-weekly semaglutide independently more than doubled the risk of NAION," the authors write. "Given the irreversible nature of NAION, it is important to acknowledge this risk, and upcoming studies should aim to identify high-risk subgroups."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted January 2025
Read this next
Many Medicaid Enrollees Have Restricted Access to SGLT2 Inhibitors, GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
WEDNESDAY, April 30, 2025 -- Many Medicaid enrollees with type 2 diabetes have restricted access to cardioprotective medications, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2...
Microbial Keratitis Outcomes Affected by Delays in Presentation, Disease Severity
WEDNESDAY, April 30, 2025 -- For patients with microbial keratitis (MK), initial vision, longer time to presentation, and larger stromal infiltrate size lead to a higher risk for...
Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors Increase Risk for Falls in Patients With Diabetes
WEDNESDAY, April 30, 2025 -- Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor use is an independent risk factor for falls in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.