Gastric Ultrasound Investigates Stomach Contents in Semaglutide Users

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1-RA) like semaglutide (Ozempic™, Rybelsus™, Wegovy™) are widely used for type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity, partly due to their ability to increase satiety and significantly delay gastric emptying. While some reports suggest tachyphylaxis (reduced effect over time) with chronic use, recent clinical data indicates semaglutide may still increase perioperative gastric content, posing a significant aspiration risk during anesthesia. This study addresses the critical knowledge gap regarding objective gastric content assessment in semaglutide patients adhering to conventional fasting guidelines, a growing concern for anesthetists.

This diagnostic study, while listed as completed, has not yet published its specific findings regarding gastric contents in patients on semaglutide, with the official completion date set for 2025-05-31. However, the foundational premise for this investigation stems from existing clinical observations and concerns. Previous clinical data, distinct from this trial, suggests that semaglutide use does increase perioperative gastric content, leading to significant safety concerns for anesthetists who report anecdotally higher instances of patients with full stomachs. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), in response to these observations, has already issued guidelines advising to hold GLP-1-RA for one day if administered daily, or one week if administered weekly, prior to surgery. > The core objective of this study is to provide a quantitative assessment of gastric content using Point-of-care gastric ultrasound, which is anticipated to either validate or necessitate refinement of these current fasting guidelines for patients on GLP-1-RA like semaglutide, thereby offering objective measurements to address the current uncertainty.