GLP-1’s (Semaglutide & Tirzepatide) cause delayed gastric emptying. That means everything takes longer in the digestive tract. Food stays in your stomach much longer than it normally does. Usually the stomach is emptied about 8 hours after eating. While on GLP-1’s, food has been found to stay in the stomach for up to 48 hours. (This is what helps you feel full longer and feel full faster). This can be a nightmare for someone undergoing anesthesia.
The sphincter between your esophagus and stomach opens for food to enter the stomach, then closes to keep it in the stomach and moving down the digestive tract. While under anesthesia, that sphincter relaxes and makes it possible for food and liquids to exit the stomach back into the esophagus. If you are lying flat, this could allow food or liquid to back up all the way to your vocal chords, which could then go into your lungs. This can cause an aspiration pneumonitis, which can cause a major complication. It can be difficult to recover from, may require an ICU stay and longer recovery period.
Therefore, it is imperative that you tell both your surgeon and anesthesia providers that you are on these medications. They may have a set protocol they want you to follow. Below are some protocols presently being used:
If you are not a diabetic, they may want to skip one or two doses. (Be off the shot 1-2 weeks before surgery).
They may want you to only have liquids (nothing solid) for 24-48 hours before the surgery.
If you are diabetic, they may have you continue the meds, but only have liquids for 48 hours before surgery.
Please follow whatever their protocol is and then resume taking the shots when you feel well enough to resume them. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us as well, but always follow your surgeon or anesthesia providers protocol above anything we may tell you.
