Semaglutide is a long acting Glucagon Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist indicated for type II diabetes mellitus as well as for the treatment of obesity.

GLP-1 can control the blood glucose levels by increasing the insulin secretion from the pancreas and it also increases the glucagon action which opposes in the elevation of blood glucose levels. Glucagon like peptide is having a short duration of action and it can be converted into metabolites by one of the enzyme DPP-4,dipeptidyl peptidase-4.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor Agonist which acts just like GLP-1 so it also increases the insulin secretion as well as glucagon action but at the same time this drug is not metabolized by DPP-4 enzyme that's why this drug is somewhat long acting and it can control the excessive glucose levels in the diabetic patients.

Semaglutide is having the two advantages, it is not metabolized by DPP-4 enzyme which increase the bioavailability of this drug and second advantage is that it is long acting as it binds to albumin therefore it cannot be easily metabolized and even it cannot be easily cleared by renal clearance.

This drug not only reduce the glucose levels but it also reduce the appetite thereby it can reduce the body weight, that's why this drug can be used in the management of obesity. In those patients with body mass index greater than 30 kg per square meter this semaglutide can be given as subcutaneous injection.

One of the important thing is that the subcutaneous injection which is intended for obesity is not equivalent to the subcutaneous injection indicated for diabetes mellitus. Since the dosage and strengths are somewhat variable ,even route of administration is similar but they are indicated for different purpose.

This drug shows beneficial effect in the management of obesity as it reduces appetite resulting the decreased body weight in the patients but this drug is not indicated in the children, it is only available for the treatment of obesity in the adults.

Semaglutide should not be given in the patients with pancreatitis. Since this drug produces pancreatitis, it is not indicated in the patients with any history of pancreatitis. Similarly this drug is not useful in the treatment of type-I diabetes.

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