GLP-1 agonist medicines

GLP-1 agonist medicines and a busy schedule

GLP-1 agonists are prescription medicines, and taking one raises practical questions that are easy to lose in the small print of a label. What if you miss a dose, travel across time zones, or lose track of which day you take it?

Our short guides take those questions one at a time. Your own label and prescriber have the final say on how you take any medicine, and our GLP-1 agonist guides on missed doses and travel only help you prepare the questions.

Questions we answer

Choose the question that fits your week and open its guide.

• Who needs one: When would I need to take a GLP-1 agonist?
• Risks: What are the risks or complications of GLP-1 agonists?
• How they work: How do GLP-1 agonists work?
• The basics: What are GLP-1 agonists?
• Dose timing: How often do you take GLP-1 agonists?

Where to go for expert guidance

For a regulator's description of a prescription weight management medicine, read the FDA announcement on a new medication for chronic weight management. Once you have read the regulator's side, open NIDDK's page on prescription medications for overweight and obesity to see where your medicine sits among prescription options, then take what you find to your prescriber.

Keep the label that came with your medicine nearby, and bring it to your appointments. If your schedule changes or you miss a dose, check the directions on the label first, then call your prescriber or pharmacist and ask before you decide what to do.