Glucagon Used Less Often in Pre-hospital and Outpatient Setting

Glucagon, a hormone that helps hypoglycemic complications was found to be underutilized by emergency medical personnel and underprescribed to patients, reveals a new study.

A brief research report is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Appetite Hormone Glucagon Fails to Work in Obese People
Glucagon, a hormone involved in regulating appetite, is unable to help obese people feel full after a meal, but it continues to suppress hunger pangs in people with type 1 diabetes.

‘The number and severity of hypoglycemic episodes can be reduced by using glucagon more often.’

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Researchers from Harvard Medical School reviewed data from the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (MEMSIS) Public-Release Research Datasets from 2013 to 2015 and from Medicare Part D claims from 2014 to characterize glucagon use and availability in the pre-hospital and outpatient setting.

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Related to Adolescent Weight Loss Suggests Study
Preliminary evidence from a clinical trial suggests that treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists was associated with reduced body mass index and body weight in adolescents with severe obesity.

They found that glucagon is underutilized by emergency medical personnel and underprescribed to patients.

GLP-1 Hormone Deficiency in the Brain may Result into Binge Eating
By finding out how the central nervous system regulates food intake via GLP-1 signaling, we may be able to provide more targeted therapy with fewer side effects.

According to the researchers, prescribing glucagon to patients could effectively reduce pre-hospital hypoglycemic complications.

Drugs That Target Hormones Help in Weight Loss
Two different drug classes that target different hormones: amylin and glucagon-like peptide-1 helps in weight loss.

They also suggest that all emergency personnel nationwide should have access to glucagon along with training to safely administer it.

Ensuring this access could reduce morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs.

Source-Eurekalert