New Haven, Conn.-based Yale School of Medicine physicians said GLP-1 weight loss medications are helping more patients qualify for knee replacement surgery while reducing the risk of complications, according to a July 2 news release. Here are five things to know:
- GLP-1s may help more patients qualify for surgery. Many hospitals use body mass index cutoffs for joint replacement because patients with obesity face a higher risk of complications. Yale physicians said GLP-1 medications can help some patients reach a safer weight before surgery.
- Yale uses a multidisciplinary care model. The health system connects orthopedic patients with the Yale Center for Weight Management, where specialists provide nutrition counseling, lifestyle support and GLP-1 therapy when appropriate to optimize patients before surgery.
- Weight loss can reduce surgical risks. Physicians said lowering a patient’s weight before joint replacement may decrease the risk of complications such as infection, blood clots, heart attack, stroke and prosthetic failure.
- Research suggests semaglutide may improve outcomes. A study published in the Journal of Arthroplasty and authored by Yale faculty and residents found semaglutide was associated with lower rates of surgical complications among patients with Type 2 diabetes undergoing total knee replacement.
- Longer treatment before surgery may offer greater benefits. The same study found patients who used semaglutide for at least two to three months before surgery had significantly lower odds of major complications, including infections, blood clots and cardiac events.
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