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Patient Education

Follow your healthcare provider’s
instruction to administer Ozempic.

v Take Ozempic subcutaneously once
a week in the abdomen, thigh, or
upper arm area (FDA,

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017).
Rotate injection site each week.

v Check the color before
administering. It should with no
color, and clear (FDA, 2017). Do
not use if it is cloudy or color
change is noticed.

v Never mix Ozempic with insulin.

v Notify your provider all
prescription and over the counter
medications you are taking.

v Check your blood sugar.

v Use Ozempic in combination with
your prescribed diet and exercise.

v Never share your Ozempic pen with
others to prevent infection. (FDA,
2017)

Nursing considerations:
Patient assessment and
nursing management

v Monitor blood sugar level
and HbA1c regularly.

v Monitor for signs of low
blood sugar level.

v Monitor non-stopping
nausea, vomiting, or
diarrhea.

v Monitor fluid and
carbohydrate intake.

v Assess for abdominal pain.

v Stop drug therapy for
patients who develop signs of
pancreatitis.

v Instruct patient on preparing
and using the Ozempic pen,
and observe a return
demonstration by the patient.

Ozempic
(semaglutide)

1

Once weekly injection

2

clara tezoh

Drug Administration and Dosage as stated
in Sfairopoulos, Liatis, Tigas, and
Liberopoulos (2018)
Drug /food Interaction and
contraindications
v Impacts the absorption of oral
medications since Ozempic
slows the time of emptying of
the gastric.
v Increases the action of insulin
in lowering blood sugar
v Contraindicated with a
personal or family history of
medullary thyroid carcinoma
and in patients with multiple
endocrine neoplasia syndrome
type 2 (MEN 2) (WHO, 2017).
Special Consideration
v Women planning to get
pregnant should discontinue
Ozempic at least 2 months
before the pregnancy to
allow enough time for the
Drug Class
v Ozempic (semaglutide) is an antidiabetics drug among the class of medication called
incretin mimetics.
v It is a long-acting injectable prescription medicine for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus to
help control blood sugar (glucose). It is prescribed in addition to diet and exercise (Dhillon,
2018).
Mechanism of Action
v Reduces blood glucose through stimulating insulin secretion and lowering glucagon
secretion (Dhillon, 2018).
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v Dosage of 0.25 mg subcutaneous injection
once a week for four weeks should be
taken for treatment initiation.
v Dosage will be increased to 0.5 mg after
the fourth week.
v 1 mg is the maximum dosage that can be
taken in a week.
v It should be taken only once a week; it
should be done on the same day each
week at any time of the day.
v It can be taken with or without food.
v You can take a missed dose within five
days. If not within five days, you should
skip the missed dose and take the next
dose on the regularly scheduled day.
v If changing the day of the weekly
administration is found necessary, give at
least two days or more than 48 hours
between the two doses (FDA, 2017).

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Lab effects/interference
v HbA1c < 6.5% Potential Side/Adverse Effects v Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation are the most common reported side effects. v Risk of thyroid tumors, including cancer, is the black box warning by the FDA (FDA, 2017).