As more people use glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro for weight loss, the importance of managing side effects, including acute pancreatitis, is growing.
On the 21st, the medical community issued repeated warnings that using GLP-1 injections to lose weight rapidly can cause pancreatitis.
Currently, there is no established evidence that this drug class itself clearly increases the risk of pancreatitis. However, experts said reduced food intake combined with rapid weight loss can induce gallstone formation, which can lead to pancreatitis.
According to Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, when more than 1.5 kilograms per week is lost, cholesterol secretion from the liver increases. In addition, if bile duct motility slows due to the injection's effect and both bile secretion and gallbladder movement decrease as food intake drops, it creates an environment where bile sludge and gallstones can easily form.
If these gallstones block the pancreatic duct, it can lead to acute pancreatitis. The main symptom is severe pain that worsens when lying flat as the abdomen becomes taut. The pain may ease when bending forward, and it may radiate to the flank or back, accompanied by fever or severe vomiting.
Nausea and indigestion are common symptoms when taking Wegovy or Mounjaro, but if extreme pain like the above occurs beyond simple discomfort, it is best to visit a hospital without delay. Symptoms such as being unable to eat beyond a loss of appetite or passing pale grayish stools may also be precursors to gallstones or pancreatitis.
Lee Si-young, a professor of gastroenterology at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, said, "Most cases of acute pancreatitis recover if fasting and fluid therapy are combined in the early phase, but if left untreated, it can progress to fatal complications such as necrotizing pancreatitis, in which pancreatic cells die, or multiple organ failure, and it can also trigger secondary diseases such as diabetes, so a swift response is crucial."
Lee emphasized, "When weight drops too quickly, lowering the drug dose and regularly eating meals that include an appropriate amount of fat, even in small portions, to keep bile flowing smoothly is key to preventing gallstones and pancreatitis."