Diet shot leaves 62-year-old man in hospital after metabolism goes ‘overdrive’ – UK experts warn of dangerous Ozempic counterfeits and ongoing obesity drug shortages
An obese man suffered severe pain and had to go to the emergency room after developing an overactive thyroid following a weight-loss injection.
The 62-year-old, who also had type 1 diabetes, lost more than 36 kilos in less than six months using tirzepatide, which is sold under the brand name Mounjaro.
But after he was rushed to hospital with sudden heart palpitations, fever and even shaking hands, scans showed he had developed an irregular heartbeat, atrial fibrillation, a “silent killer”.
Doctors also discovered that he had thyrotoxicosis, a condition in which the thyroid gland, which controls metabolism and heart rate, does not function properly, with potentially life-threatening consequences.
Doctors published his story in a medical journal as a warning and today called for closer monitoring of dieters who receive the shots to prevent “adverse events.”
The 62-year-old, who also had type 1 diabetes, lost more than 5.6 stone (36kg) in less than six months on tirzepatide — sold under the brand name Mounjaro. But after he was rushed to hospital with sudden heart palpitations, fever and even shaking hands, scans showed he had developed atrial fibrillation, dubbed a ‘silent killer’
According to the latest data, digestive problems were the most commonly reported side effects of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro. These included about one in five participants who experienced nausea and diarrhea, and about one in ten who reported vomiting or diarrhea
Mounjaro has already been supported by US health authorities for his weight-loss plans, and is seen as a breakthrough in the fight against obesity, a disease that costs healthcare billions of dollars.
In February it was also offered privately in the UK, with clinics charging around £40 for a week’s supply.
Research has shown that the drug, made by US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, can help obese people lose more than 20 percent of their body weight in less than a year and a half.
But like all medicines, Mounjaro also has side effects.
The European Medicines Agency reported this year that studies in rodents suggested the artificial hormones in tirzepatide could increase the risk of medullary thyroid cancer.
Researchers from the University of Colorado wrote in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine that the unidentified male patient, with a BMI of 31.2, presented to the emergency room with palpitations, excessive sweating, confusion, fever and shaking hands.
Six months earlier he had been prescribed tirzepatide, initially at a dose of 2.5 mg per week, and he was also taking levothyroxine to control his diabetes.
“The physician suggested increasing the dose of tirzepatide every four weeks, as long as the patient could tolerate it, and repeating it after one month,” they noted.
However, the man missed his follow-up appointment, but nevertheless increased his dose to 10 mg per week.
Doctors said atrial fibrillation was caused by thyrotoxicosis after ‘rapid weight loss from tirzepatide’.
They added: ‘We recommend that patients taking tirzepatide be closely monitored (initially every four to six weeks) to assess response to therapy, adverse events and possible dose adjustment of other concomitant medications.
Tirzepatide belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. These treatments trick the brain into thinking it is full, thereby reducing appetite.
However, the huge global demand and scarcity have also led to an increasing number of counterfeit versions appearing on the market.
Pharmacists yesterday warned of an “explosion” of fake weight-loss vaccines caused by a shortage of Ozempic, which contains semaglutide.
Wegovy and Ozempic work by stimulating the body to produce a hormone called GLP-1 which is naturally released from the gut after meals
Experts say the shortage will continue into next year, increasing illegal trade online.
Since the beginning of 2023, health officials in the UK have seized more than 800 suspected counterfeit slimming pens.
In the past, counterfeit vaccines have been found to contain insulin, a drug used by diabetics.
Insulin causes blood sugar levels to drop rapidly. However, if blood sugar levels do not rise immediately, serious and potentially fatal consequences can result.
Semaglutide has been available on the NHS since 2019 and in the US for people with type 2 diabetes since 2017. manage blood sugar levels.
But the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, is also investigating whether semaglutide may increase the risk of medullary thyroid cancer and pancreatic cancer.
However, there is no evidence yet that these actually concern side effects, even in extremely rare cases.
All Britons are being urged to report any side effects from medicines to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Yellow Card Scheme.
Ministers in Britain are planning to distribute the drugs to millions of overweight Britons in a bid to combat the obesity crisis, with children eventually set to get the jabs too.
The latest NHS data shows that 26 per cent of adults in England are obese and a further 38 per cent are overweight but not obese.
In the US, an estimated 41.9 percent of the adult population is obese.