Medication use
GLP-1 Medicines Before Surgery or Sedation
Tell the procedural and anesthesia teams about GLP-1 or related medicines well before surgery, endoscopy, or deep sedation. These medicines can slow stomach emptying. The plan depends on the procedure, symptoms, treatment stage, and your other health needs.
What to do next
- Provide the exact medicine, dose, usual dosing day, last dose, and recent dose changes.
- Report nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, or other digestive symptoms before the procedure.
- Ask the anesthesia team for written instructions. Many patients can continue treatment, but some need a modified plan or a delayed procedure.
- Coordinate any hold, diet instructions, diabetes management, and restart with the teams involved.
When to contact your care team
Do not apply an old blanket rule about stopping for a fixed number of days. Do not ignore fasting instructions or stop a diabetes medicine without a coordinated plan. If instructions conflict, ask the procedure team to resolve them before the appointment.
Put it into practice
Call early enough for the teams to communicate. A helpful message is: “I take ____ and recently increased the dose. Does that change my preparation?” Keep the reply with the procedure paperwork so everyone uses the same plan on the day.
Notes for your next visit
Write these in your own notes or on a printed copy. Bring them to your follow-up.
- Procedure and date:
- Medication, last dose, and current symptoms:
- Written pre-procedure and restart instructions:
Sources and further reading
General education for adults. Follow your clinician’s individual plan and the current instructions for your prescribed product. This handout is not a complete medication guide. If instructions conflict, ask your clinician or pharmacist to clarify. For a medical emergency, call 911.