Practice Management
Use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists among U.S. children with obesity is increasing rapidly. A national analysis from NYU Langone Health published in Pediatrics found that among children ages 8–11 with obesity and without diabetes, GLP-1 prescribing was 310 times higher in 2026 than it was in 2019 (when the drugs first began reaching the market), with 20,282 children in this age group receiving these medications during the study period. Most treated children had …
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In 1990, 19.3% of American adults were considered obese. By 2022, the prevalence had increased to 42.5% of adults. Now researchers are predicting that by 2035, the percentage of adults who are obese will increase to 46.9%, as published in JAMA. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, although there are many who challenge the 200-year-old measure because it doesn’t translate well across different races, ethnicities, and genders. The …
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved semaglutide tablets as the first oral GLP-1 medicine for obesity in adults. According to a press release, the once-daily pill is also indicated to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events including death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with overweight or obesity and cardiovascular disease. Previously only available as an injectable, semaglutide’s oral formulation could expand treatment for patients who are reluctant to use an …
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Urgent Message: Pediatric patients frequently present to urgent care with musculoskeletal complaints, but clinicians must remain aware of the less common surgical and medical emergencies that can present with these symptoms. Key Words: Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis; Pediatric Limp; Antalgic Gait; Obesity; Urgent Care Diagnosis Abstract Clinical Presentation: A 13-year-old male presented to a pediatric urgent care with the chief complaint of left calf pain for a month that had acutely worsened over the past …
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The prevalence of severe obesity among Americans, particularly among women, has risen over the past decade, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to a 2021-2023 survey involving 6,000 individuals, about 40% of U.S. adults are obese. Of those surveyed, nearly 10% had severe obesity, defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more. The rate of severe obesity increased from approximately 8% in the 2013-2014 survey to …
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A study published in the Lancet last week investigated millions of U.S. medical records to determine whether semaglutide increased the risk of neurological and psychiatric conditions within the first year of use compared to 3 other common antidiabetic medications. Authors found no association between semaglutide and a higher risk of the 22 studied conditions (eg, psychosis; bipolar disorder; depression; anxiety; opioid and alcohol use disorder; etc.). In fact, patients on semaglutide showed lower rates of …
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Urgent Message: As more glucagon-like peptide-1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide agonists are prescribed, it is important for clinicians to have familiarity adverse reactions and complications that may present in urgent care. Sergio Ramoa, MD, MS; Darya Zakirov, MS, APRN, FNP-C; Pascale Carbonara, MD; Deann Isherwood, MSN, FNP; Tu-Mai Tran, MD, MSc Citation: Ramoa S, Zakirov D, Carbonara P, Isherwood D, Tran TM. Updates in Weight Management Pharmacotherapy: Essential Knowledge For The Urgent Care Clinician. J …
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In 2023, more than 1,200 kids between the ages of 12 and 17 were prescribed semaglutide for obesity, according to an analysis of insurance claims by Komodo Health. Additionally, when data from Medicaid programs in 5 selected states was analyzed by Reuters, more than 460 children were found to be taking the weight management drug. The bottom line seems to indicate that providers are embracing obesity pharmacotherapy for tweens. Of note, it was December 2022 …
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Advocacy organizations recently launched a campaign promoting an “Obesity Bill of Rights.” The declaration speaks to the rights of individuals with obesity to be treated respectfully and to receive patient-centered, high-quality healthcare. For example, the advocacy groups call for the right to accessible obesity treatment that allows for privacy and uses equipment that fits patients’ bodies. That could translate to blood pressure cuffs of an appropriate size, larger gowns and drapes, or even larger chairs …
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The American Heart Association introduced the concept of a new medical condition called cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome (CKM) in a recent article in Circulation. The rising incidence of multiple chronic health issues in younger Americans, particularly obesity, diabetes, and heart and kidney disease, calls for earlier diagnosis and risk assessment, the association says. The synergy between metabolic risk factors, such as abdominal fat, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and elevated blood sugar, has long-term effects on health …
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