Liraglutide

What is Liraglutide?

Liraglutide is a once-daily injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist, prescribed for type 2 diabetes and, at a higher dose, for chronic weight management in adults and in adolescents 12 and older who weigh more than 60 kg and have obesity. It was the first GLP-1 drug with a positive cardiovascular outcome trial. In the 56-week SCALE trial, 3,731 adults on liraglutide 3.0 mg plus lifestyle counseling lost 8.4 kg on average versus 2.8 kg on placebo (Pi-Sunyer 2015). An independent Cochrane review later confirmed that liraglutide raises the likelihood of meaningful weight loss, while rating several other obesity outcomes low or very low certainty.

From the BioHarmony report, reviewed 2026-10-13.

How it is thought to work

GLP-1 receptor agonism: glucose-dependent insulin release, glucagon suppression, slower gastric emptying, lower appetite

Safety watch-outs

• Severe upper abdominal pain radiating to the back, with or without vomiting: stop and seek urgent care for a pancreatitis check.
• Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2: liraglutide is contraindicated.
• A neck lump, hoarseness or trouble swallowing: get it evaluated.
• Shakiness, sweating or confusion while also using insulin or a sulfonylurea: treat low blood sugar and have doses reviewed.
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea with signs of dehydration: seek care, since dehydration can injure the kidneys.

Full risk profile in the BioHarmony report.

Dosing as published

No approved-label or study protocol is recorded for Liraglutide yet.

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