OS RISCOS E BENEFÍCIOS DO USO OFF-LABEL DA SEMAGLUTIDA (OZEMPIC) PARA EMAGRECIMENTO: UMA REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA

Obesity is currently considered a serious global health problem, and it is in this context that the glucagon receptor agonist (GLP-1) semaglutide (Ozempic) emerged, initially approved for the treatment of diabetes, and more recently for weight control. The development of this research is justified by the need for further literary investigations on the off-label use of semaglutide for weight loss, with this being the general objective, exploring its risks and benefits. This research consists of an integrative review of an exploratory descriptive nature, in the SciELO, BVS and PubMed databases, selecting works published from 2014 to 2024. Therefore, this research showed that the off-label use of injectable semaglutide (one dose once a week) is quite effective for weight loss, in the period of 68 to 104 weeks. Regarding the benefits, all studies have shown that this medication promotes weight loss caused by reduced energy intake associated with reduced appetite in obese patients with one or two comorbidities. Unrelated to the risks, there are a variety of adverse events, mainly gastrointestinal disorders, hepatobiliary problems; there have been some reported deaths, allergic complaints, psychiatric disorders and a variety of malignant neoplasms. Therefore, considering the increasing adherence to semaglutide, its risks and benefits need to be taken into consideration, thus preventing this medication from being used in an abusive and irrational manner. In this sense, the pharmacist will be able to offer the individual greater access to valuable information, which will preserve their health and also improve their quality of life.