Ozempic and Wegovy have received a lot of publicity as revolutionizing treatment options for obesity. Both medications form a class of GLP-1 receptor agonists, which mimic a hormone in the body called glucagon-like peptide-1 and are involved in the regulation of appetite and blood sugar. Indeed, in initial clinical studies, the majority of those on the drugs lost 15% to 22% of body weight, hence much optimism. For most patients, these medications are underwhelming for about 20% of patients due to minimal weight loss or other challenges.

Take a closer look at why the weight loss drugs may not work for everyone, together with what options exist when they don't deliver the expected outcomes.

Why Weight Loss Drugs May Not Work

While GLP-1 receptor agonists have produced phenomenal responses in a majority of patients, it remains a reality that these drugs work differently for different people. Here's why:

1. Genetic and Hormonal Variability

Weight loss medications interact with complex systems in the body that differ from person to person. Genetics, hormones, and individual brain responses to energy regulation play significant roles in determining how a person responds to drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.

2. Underlying Medical Conditions

Other conditions, such as sleep apnea, may be prevalent and prevent or delay the achievement of weight loss goals. Prescription drugs like antidepressants, steroids, or contraceptives are other medications that can nullify weight loss medication benefits.

3. Unrealistic Expectations

Often, they come to these medications with enormous hopes; expecting the promised rapid and dramatic weight loss. Progress creates disappointment if it has not stalled. In patients who rigidly follow recommended lifestyle modifications, frustration and disappointment are most common.

Why it is Important to Identify Non-responders

For most patients, the effectiveness of GLP-1 receptor agonists is evident within a few weeks of treatment. Weight loss typically begins within a few weeks of initiating therapy and tends to increase with dosage. However, some patients respond very little, if at all, despite strict adherence to their regimen.

For nonresponders, this can feel like a dead end. However, understanding the unique complexities of obesity is essential. This condition stems from brain dysfunction, and the pathways that contribute to weight regulation differ among individuals.

Alternative Treatment Options

When Ozempic or Wegovy doesn’t yield desired results, there are still many paths to explore:

1. Switching to Another GLP-1 Drug

For example, some patients who don't respond well to one GLP-1 receptor agonist might find success with another drug in the same class. Newer medications, such as Zepbound, target other hormone pathways and seem promising even for those not responsive to earlier drugs.

2. Use of Older Medications

While there is much to say about newer drugs, older treatments can still be useful and work for some patients. One can also seek the help of a medical provider specializing in obesity treatments in order to identify the best alternatives.

3. Lifestyle Changes

Diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management continue to be integral components of any weight loss program. New changes may be small but can make an enormous difference in one's health and success.

4. Medical Management of Obesity

It is a complex disorder, and most patients should receive a multidisciplinary treatment. Collaboration with an obesity-aware doctor may mean access to tailored treatment plans, ranging from psychological support all the way to metabolic testing, and many others.

Why Side Effects of Weight Loss Drug Ozempic May Be a Barrier

For others, side effects like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea hinder them from continuing with these drugs. These symptoms often reduce as the body becomes accustomed, but for some, they might be severe enough to stop treatment altogether. In those instances, alternative drugs or procedures become vital to find.

Long-term effects of Ozempic or Wegovy on the Brain

Another largely unexplored area relates to GLP-1 drugs' long-term effects on the brain's regulation of hunger and satiety. Although GLP-1 drugs suppress appetite and can lead to effective weight loss, emerging research suggests that they may also affect brain reward mechanisms, changing the way patients experience foods.

This aspect could prove of paramount significance in the future treatment of obesity. Perhaps GLP-1 receptor agonists do indeed affect and rewire the brain's reward pathways and will thus provide sustained benefits beyond discontinuation. However, more research is required to understand this phenomenon fully.

While for many, Ozempic and Wegovy have revolutionized obesity treatment, these are certainly not a one size fits all. Nonresponders need not lose hope- alternative strategies and medications abound. A consultation with an obesity expert healthcare provider is essential to put together a comprehensive, tailored treatment plan.

The route toward effective weight loss may be challenging, but with the evolution of obesity medicine and a better understanding of individual needs, there is a path forward for everyone.

Scientists have created a three-dimensional "heart-on-a-chip" (HOC) model that beats on its own, uses calcium to initiate muscular activity and responds predictably to common drugs in hopes that it will help fight against cardiovascular diseases and heart failure.

This engineered heart is the first to incorporate a dual-sensing platform that provides real-time tracking of activity throughout the heart tissue down to the cellular level, helping scientists measure cellular function, which is critical for preventing heart failure in patients with CVDs.

First author Ali Mousavi, a biomedical engineer at the University of Montreal: "The ability to observe the tissue's response to different compounds in real time represents a major advantage for preclinical development and translational research."

To create their heart-on-chip (HOC) models, researchers collected heart muscle and connective tissue cells from rats. They placed the cells in a gel rich in proteins and nutrients to help them grow, then put them onto tiny, flexible silicon chips.

To measure how the tissue worked, they used two types of sensors. First, they attached the engineered heart tissue between two small elastic pillars. Each time the tissue beat, the pillars bent slightly, and this bending showed how strong the heartbeat was.

Then they placed tiny, soft gel-based sensors inside the tissue. These very small droplets—about 50 micrometers wide—changed shape as the cells contracted. This allowed the researchers to measure mechanical stress at the level of individual cells.

Talking about this development, senior author Houman Savoji, a mechanical and biomedical engineer at the University of Montreal said: "This breakthrough brings us even closer to true precision health by giving us the ability to identify the most effective medication for each person before treatment is even administered."

The Rising Heart Attack Crisis

During a heart attack, a lack of blood flow causes the cells and tissue in the heart muscle to die, leading to irreversible damage that can result in serious complications like arrhythmias, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, or cardiac arrest.

It is one of the leading causes of death in the country. Four Indians experience a heart attack every minute, with one in four dying of the cause. Experts have also noticed a rising trend of nearly 50 percent of heart attack patients being under the age of 40, with half of all heart attacks in Indian men occurring under 50.

Coronary Artery Disease: The Silent KillerCoronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common illnesses that can cause a heart attack in people. It develops over years and has no clear signs and symptoms apart from a heart attack.

The illness begins due to a buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances known as plaque in and on the artery walls.

Over time, this can cause narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries and block the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart which can lead to chest pain (angina), shortness of breath and ultimately, heart attacks.

READ MORE: How This Chinese Medicine Can Improve Blood Flow In Angina Patients

Typically, those above the age of 45, having a biological family member with heart disease, lack of sleep, smoking, consuming saturated fats along with other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can increase the risk of developing CAD.

Nearly one in 10 Indian adults suffer from CAD and about two million people die from the disease annually. Apart from this, about 18 to 20 million American adults aged 20 and older are also affected about the disease.

How Much You Should Exercise To Prevent CAD?

Moreover, regular exercise can also reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia and Alzheimer’s as well as several types of cancer. It can also help improve sleep, cognition, including memory, attention and processing speed.

Dr Hayes recommends opting for a cardiac evaluation such as an electrocardiogram, or EKG; a stress test; a cardiac MRI or CT scan to generate images of your heart if you notice changes in your ability to exercise or cannot perform consistent levels of exercise.

Long-term exposure to tiny air pollution particles can significantly increase your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease-caused dementia.

Researchers from Emory University, US have found that constant exposure to PM2.5 can affect the brain more directly than scientists have assumed.

They noted: "Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and a growing public health challenge, especially in aging populations. Our findings suggest that PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased Alzheimer's disease risk, primarily through direct rather than comorbidity-mediated pathways."

The scientists also discovered that those who had suffered a stroke were at a slightly higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that strokes may make the brain more vulnerable to air pollution.

"The observed effect modification by stroke may reflect an underlying biological vulnerability in cerebrovascular pathways. Stroke-related neurovascular damage can compromise the blood–brain barrier, facilitating the translocation of PM2.5 particles or their associated inflammatory mediators into the brain."

The observational study was released in PLOS Magazine.

When Does The Risk Increase?

A new IIT Delhi study suggests the air quality may be worse than what conventional surface monitoring stations capture.

During a post-winter-haze day in March 2021, the researchers measured the vertical distribution of fine particulate matter at 20-metre intervals from the surface up to 100 meters through drones.

At 100 meters, PM2.5 concentrations were around 160 micrograms per cubic meter which is about 60 percent higher than surface readings on the same days. They also found that humidity levels were also higher by 70 percent, which promoted the concentration of ammonium nitrate and chloride.

Additionally, the study found that PM2.5 levels increased sharply near the top of this shallow layer, leading to higher concentrations at around 100 metres.

Based on these observations, the researchers concluded that residents in 28–30-storey buildings may face higher exposure to pollutants and inorganic material than indicated by ground-based monitors.

They also noted that drone-mounted low-cost sensors are a much more effective tool for studying the lower atmospheric boundary layer to improve air quality monitoring, model evaluation and mitigation strategies in cities such as Delhi.

What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common forms of dementia and mostly affects adults over the age of 65.

About 8.8 million Indians aged 60 and above are estimated to be living with Alzheimer's disease. Over seven million people in the US 65 and older live with the condition and over 100,00 die from it annually.

Alzheimer's disease is believed to be caused by the development of toxic amyloid and beta proteins in the brain, which can accumulate in the brain and damage cells responsible for memory.

Amyloid protein molecules stick together in brain cells, forming clumps called plaques. At the same time, tau proteins twist together in fiber-like strands called tangles. The plaques and tangles block the brain's neurons from sending electrical and chemical signals back and forth.

Over time, this disruption causes permanent damage in the brain that leads to Alzheimer's disease and dementia, causing patients to lose their ability to speak, care for themselves or even respond to the world around them.

While there is no clear cause of Alzheimer's disease, experts believe it can develop due to genetic mutations and lifestyle choices, such as physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and social isolation.

Early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include forgetting recent events or conversations. Over time, Alzheimer's disease leads to serious memory loss and affects a person's ability to do everyday tasks.

There is no cure for this progressive brain disorder and in advanced stages, loss of brain function can cause dehydration, poor nutrition or infection. These complications can result in death.

Frequently experiencing deep sleep may help prevent the development of brain changes related to Alzheimer's Disease, the most common form of dementia.

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, and UC Irvine in the US have found that people experiencing early symptoms of Alzheimer's performed better on memory function tests as they got more deep sleep.

This sign was found to be independent of education and physical activity, two factors, along with social connection, known to contribute to cognitive resilience in older age.

Those with similar Alzheimer's-linked changes who failed to get as much deep sleep did not do as well on the same tests. By comparison, sleep made little difference to those individuals with few Alzheimer's-related deposits.

The results imply that a frequently being able to sleep deeply frequently could help support the memory decline that sets in as dementia begins to take hold.

UC Berkeley neuroscientist Matthew Walker said of the results: "Think of deep sleep almost like a life raft that keeps memory afloat, rather than memory getting dragged down by the weight of Alzheimer's disease pathology.

"This is especially exciting because we can do something about it. There are ways we can improve sleep, even in older adults."

Previous research has also shown that poor sleep is both a risk factor for and a symptom of Alzheimer's disease, making it tricky for scientists to detect how sleep is linked to neurological damage.

What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common forms of dementia and mostly affects adults over the age of 65.

About 8.8 million Indians aged 60 and above are estimated to be living with Alzheimer's disease. Over seven million people in the US 65 and older live with the condition and over 100,00 die from it annually.

Alzheimer's disease is believed to be caused by the development of toxic amyloid and beta proteins in the brain, which can accumulate in the brain and damage cells responsible for memory.

Amyloid protein molecules stick together in brain cells, forming clumps called plaques. At the same time, tau proteins twist together in fiber-like strands called tangles. The plaques and tangles block the brain's neurons from sending electrical and chemical signals back and forth.

Over time, this disruption causes permanent damage in the brain that leads to Alzheimer's disease and dementia, causing patients to lose their ability to speak, care for themselves or even respond to the world around them.

While there is no clear cause of Alzheimer's disease, experts believe it can develop due to genetic mutations and lifestyle choices, such as physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and social isolation.

Early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include forgetting recent events or conversations. Over time, Alzheimer's disease leads to serious memory loss and affects a person's ability to do everyday tasks.

There is no cure for this progressive brain disorder and in advanced stages, loss of brain function can cause dehydration, poor nutrition or infection. These complications can result in death.

Can You Detect Alzheimer's Early On?

The blood test, known as Lumipulse, can detect amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease and has proven to be a “less invasive option” that “reduces reliance on PET scans and increases diagnosis accessibility.”

FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary said of the landmark decision, "Alzheimer’s disease impacts too many people, more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.

"Knowing that 10 percent of people aged 65 and older have Alzheimer's, and that by 2050 that number is expected to double, I am hopeful that new medical products such as this one will help patients."

It remains unclear when this test will be available for commercial use across the world.