Ozempic Uses

Ozempic is a once-weekly non-insulin injectable prescription medicine for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is used to control blood sugar levels, along with diet and exercise. It is also used to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, and death in people with established cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Ozempic is not used to treat people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. Also, Ozempic cannot be used instead of insulin in people who need insulin for blood sugar control.

There may be other uses of this medicine — your healthcare provider or pharmacist can provide medical advice and give you further Ozempic drug information.

Ozempic Mechanism of Action

Ozempic works by causing the release of more insulin when blood sugar levels are high. Insulin is the hormone that moves glucose from the blood to other organs where it is needed for energy. Ozempic also slows digestion and may lead to decreased appetite and weight loss, which can help with diabetes control.

Ozempic Doses

Ozempic is an injectable prescription medicine available as a pre-filled single-patient-use pen. The Ozempic pen delivers 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, or 1 mg of semaglutide per injection. The pen is designed for subcutaneous injection (injection under the skin’s surface) and is available as 2 mg/1.5 mL and 4 mg/3 mL.

The usual starting dose of Ozempic is 0.25 mg once a week. After 4 weeks, your doctor may increase the dose to 0.5 mg once a week. After an additional 4 weeks, your Ozempic dose may be increased to 1 mg once a week, depending on blood sugar control. If additional glycemic control is required after at least 4 weeks on the 1 mg dosage, your dosage may be increased to 2 mg once weekly. The maximum dose of Ozempic is 2 mg once a week.