Victoza for weight loss. Reviews, instructions for use, analogues, where to buy, price

Victoza is a drug used in the treatment of diabetes, but numerous reviews about it say that it is also taken for weight loss.

Form of release and composition of the drug

Victoza for weight loss, reviews of which are often contradictory, is used to lower blood glucose levels. Therefore, people with low levels should take the drug with caution.

The active component of the product is liraglutide. An artificially created substance has an effect similar to a glucan-like peptide that is produced by the body.

Has the following effects:

• Decrease in glucose levels.
• Acceleration of metabolism and metabolism.
• A significant decrease in the feeling of hunger.
• Acceleration of fat metabolism, weight loss.

The drug is available in the form of a solution for injection in syringe pens. One syringe contains 3 ml of the drug, containing 18 mg of the active ingredient.

Pharmacological properties

Victoza for weight loss, reviews of which speak of the effectiveness of the drug, is a drug focused on lowering blood glucose levels.

The active component, liraglutide, is obtained by a biotechnological method using recombinant DNA and the Saccharomycescerevisiae strain (brewer's yeast), which is 97% comparable to the human glucan-like peptide (GLP-1). Liraglutide acts on the hormone incretin, prompting it to stimulate the natural production of insulin in the cells of the pancreas.

Removal of the active component from plasma takes a long time, since the active substance binds to albumin, is slowly absorbed into the bloodstream and has a high degree of enzymatic stability. Therefore, the effect of one dose lasts 24 hours.

The properties of liraglutide include the following actions: stimulating the production of insulin at high blood glucose levels, and suppressing the production of glucogen (a hormone responsible for stimulating the conversion of sugar into glucose and its entry into the blood).

When glucose levels are low, insulin production is suppressed and glucagon secretion is not inhibited. Since the receptors for the glucan-like peptide are located in the regions of the brain responsible for the feeling of satiety, the drug directly affects appetite and its regulation. Thus, the feeling of hunger is significantly dulled, which is why, subsequently, body weight decreases.

The active ingredient does not increase the daily energy expenditure, but reduces food intake, thereby reducing the daily calorie intake and, as a consequence, reducing weight.

Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics

Victoza for weight loss, reviews of the effectiveness of which are 90% positive, injected subcutaneously into the shoulder or abdomen. The active substance is absorbed slowly, the maximum indicator of the active component in plasma is reached only 7-12 hours after injection, and remains unchanged in concentration for up to 24 hours.

The first 12 hours, the active ingredient is not detected in urine and feces.Later, the metabolites of the substance are excreted through the kidneys and intestines, but only 5-6% of the excreted substance is detected. The duration of action of the active substance was reduced by 15-25% in patients with moderate hepatic impairment, in patients with severe hepatic impairment it was reduced by 45%.

People with renal failure who took Victoza also had a decrease in the duration of action of liraglutide in accordance with the severity of the disease, the duration was reduced by 15%, 28% and 35%.

Indications for use

Weight loss victose was created as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. According to reviews, the best effect was achieved with concomitant intake of the drug diet and physical activity.

The drug is able to control the glycemic index in the following actions:

• When used in the treatment of one drug.
• Combined treatment.
• Mixed therapy using insulin.
• Therapy after the use of metformins and thiazolidinediones, in a situation of ineffectiveness of the applicable drugs.

Also, Viktoza is prescribed for severe heart and cardiovascular diseases, strokes, to reduce the risk of death in patients.

Contraindications

Victoza for weight loss, reviews of the effectiveness of which allow you to assess the effectiveness of the drug, is contraindicated in the following cases:

• Severe kidney disease.
• Diseases and disorders of the liver.
• Type 1 diabetes.
• Heart failure types 3 and 4.
• Bowel diseases.
• During pregnancy and lactation.
• Age less than 18 years old.
• Individual intolerance to the active substance.
• Colitis.

At what age can a slimming drug be used?

The drug is strictly prohibited for use by persons under 18 years of age. Medical workers justify this by the fact that the body of a child and adolescent can react inappropriately to the intake of potent drugs (up to coma and death).

Liraglutide has not been tested on children and adolescents. Also, there is no exact data on the dosage of the drug for persons under 18 years of age.

Instructions for use, dosage

• The drug is injected once a day, injections are made under the skin in the abdomen, thighs or shoulders.

  

• During the first week, the drug is administered at a minimum dose of 0.6 mg, from the second week of taking the drug, the dose is doubled - 1.2 mg. The maximum dose is 1.8 mg.
• Patients are advised to mix therapy with metformins and thiazolidinediones. Mixed therapy with sulfonylurea is also possible.

Side effects

When taking the drug, the following side effects are possible:

• Headache.
• Decreased appetite.
• Problems with bowel movements.
• Increased gas formation.
• Gastroesophageal reflux.
• Allergic reaction (Quincke's edema).
• Upper respiratory tract infection.
• Hormonal disruptions.
• Pancreatitis

Overdose

A daily dose of over 30 mg leads to severe vomiting, in especially difficult cases, hypoglycemic coma is possible.

special instructions

Patients with moderate kidney disease can take the drug in the minimum dosage and in the absence of side effects.

Reception by patients over 65 years old is carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

In case of diseases or dysfunction of the thyroid gland, the drug can be used under the supervision of a doctor and in the absence of side effects, you should also periodically be tested for the content of calcitonin in the blood, and for the occurrence of neoplasms in the thyroid gland.

People taking the drug should not exceed the dose on their own, without the advice of their doctor. Driving a car and other vehicles is not recommended, and it is also undesirable to work with mechanisms during the third stage of treatment with Victoza.It is also undesirable to continue taking the drug with multiple side effects.

Patients who took Victoza noted that it is better to take the drug in the morning and afternoon, since evening injections adversely affect appetite in the morning (there is no desire to eat in the morning and afternoon). The injections given in the afternoon keep you from overeating in the evening and do not affect your appetite in the morning of the next day.

Drug interactions

Since taking the drug can cause minor disturbances in the gastrointestinal system (constipation, diarrhea), drugs taken orally may have a lower absorption. Accordingly, the effect of oral medications taken may be reduced.

When taking Victoza and Warfarin (and other anticoagulants), patients are recommended to be tested more often for INR (analysis indicating the level of susceptibility to thrombosis or bleeding).

Analogs

Victoza has several analogs that are similar in principle of action and with a similar active active ingredient in the composition.

Saxenda

A hypoglycemic agent used in the treatment of diabetic syndrome and to reduce the volume of fat mass. Available in 3 ml spitz, it is injected under the skin in the abdomen, thighs or shoulders.

The drug does not increase calorie expenditure, but reduces appetite and helps to lose weight. Reduced hunger prevents overeating and gaining weight, especially during the evening hours. The active substance of the drug stimulates the natural production of insulin and reduces the production of glucagon.

Taking the drug causes a slight delay in gastric emptying, which leads to a decrease in blood glucose levels after a meal.

Studies conducted among overweight people have shown that taking the drug and exercising led to significant weight loss. The drug effectively helps control appetite and calories from food, due to this, weight begins to decrease.

It is not recommended to take the medicine on your own, without consulting a doctor... The price of the drug is from 19 thousand rubles, you can buy the drug at the pharmacy, without a doctor's prescription.

Byetta

A synthetic product designed to control glucose levels. The main component is exenatide. The drug is produced in pen-syringes of 1.2 and 2.4 ml, the drug is injected under the skin in the abdomen or thighs. The pharmacological action of Byetta is similar to that of Victoza, and is also indicated for type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Exenatide has the same properties as liraglutide, but its synthetic origin makes the drug much cheaper and increases its popularity with buyers. Exenatide effectively affects weight loss (the substance reduces appetite, reduces hunger) and helps control blood glucose levels.

It is not recommended to take this medicine without consulting a doctor. You can buy the drug at the pharmacy without a prescription. The price of the drug is about 7,500 rubles.

Cowility

A hypoglycemic agent used for obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The preparation contains:

• Dulaglutide.
• Mannitol.
• Polysorbate.
• Sodium citrate dihydrate.

The drug is a clear, colorless solution that is injected under the skin in the abdomen or shoulder area. Intravenous and intramuscular administration is strictly prohibited.

The pharmacological action of dulaglutide is similar to that of liraglutide (normalization of glucose levels, insulin production and decreased appetite), but the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drug allow it to be used once a week.

The drug can be used as monotherapy or in the form of mixed therapy, using in parallel other means for glycemic control.

The drug has contraindications:

• The occurrence of an allergic reaction to the components.
• Type 1 diabetes.
• Kidney diseases and disorders of their work.
• Severe disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Diabetic ketoacidosis.
• Pregnancy (animal studies have shown that administering the drug to pregnant rats produced toxins and slowed fetal growth and skeletal formation).
• Lactation period (studies on rats and rabbits showed that administration of the drug during lactation led to a memory deficit in pups).
• Age under 18.

During clinical studies, the following side effects have been identified:

• Anaphylactic shock in rare cases.
• Abdominal pain, bloating.
• Acute pancreatitis.
• Weakness, drowsiness.
• Increased heart rate, sinus tachycardia.
• Skin rash near the injection site.

The drug is not recommended for use without the advice and supervision of a doctor. Its price is about 10 thousand rubles.

Jardins

The drug used in the fight against obesity and for the treatment of diabetes is available in pill form.

The preparation contains:

• Empagliflozin.
• Lactose monohydrate.
• Microcrystalline cellulose.
• Hyprolosis.
• Croscarmellose sodium.

Empagliflozin exercises glycemic control by reducing the return of glucose to the blood from the kidneys, and promotes the elimination of excess glucose through them.

Taking the drug significantly reduces blood glucose, which entails a loss of calories and weight loss.

Also, the active substance has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, namely, it reduces the risk of death from its diseases and has a prophylactic effect on nephropathy.

Often, taking the drug lowers blood pressure. The price of the drug is about 2500 rubles. It is recommended to take the drug after consulting a doctor.

Invokana

A drug used in the treatment of diabetes and for weight loss.

The composition includes:

• Canagliflozin hemihydrate.
• Microcrystalline cellulose.
• Anhydrous lactose.
• Hyprolosis.

Canagliflozin reduces the reabsorption (return of substances to the body) of glucose from the kidneys, and promotes the elimination of its excess. As a consequence, the concentration of glucose in the blood decreases, as well as increased calorie loss and weight loss. The effect of the drug is reduced in patients with impaired renal and liver function, the percentage does not depend on the severity of the disease.

Taking the drug slightly lowers blood pressure, so people with hypotension should be careful about taking this drug and consult a doctor.

The drug has contraindications:

• Type 1 diabetes.
• Severe disorders of the kidneys and liver.
• Diabetic ketoacidosis.
• During pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Age less than 18 years (studies of the effect of canagliflozin on children's and adolescent organisms have not been conducted).

Taking the drug is not recommended without the advice and supervision of a doctor. The price of the tool is about 2400 rubles.

Terms, conditions of sale and storage

The shelf life of the drug is 30 months. It is recommended to store the drug in the refrigerator at t 2-7^o C. Storage at room temperature is acceptable, but no more than 30^o C. In pharmacies, the drug is dispensed only by prescription.

Price in pharmacies in Moscow, St. Petersburg, regions

In Russian pharmacies, prices for Victoza range from 5,000 rubles. up to 12,000 rubles:

According to reviews, Victoza for weight loss is really able to reduce weight and reduce appetite (especially in the evening and at night), but since the drug has not been fully studied, its use is not recommended without consulting a doctor.

Video review of the drug for weight loss Victoza

Slimming Victose: