What are the alternatives to Ozempic for diabetes treatment?

Alternatives to Ozempic (semaglutide), which is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, include a variety of other medications from different classes. These alternatives encompass both injectable and oral agents. Injectable options similar to Ozempic are other GLP-1 receptor agonists like liraglutide (Victoza), exenatide (Byetta), and dulaglutide (Trulicity). Apart from GLP-1 receptor agonists, insulin therapy can be employed in various forms, such as rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting insulins, tailored to the individual's needs. Oral antidiabetic alternatives include metformin, which is often the first-line treatment, sulfonylureas like glipizide and glyburide, thiazolidinediones such as pioglitazone, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors like empagliflozin (Jardiance) and canagliflozin (Invokana), and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors such as sitagliptin (Januvia). The choice among these treatments depends on multiple factors including the patient's specific medical condition, efficacy of the medication, potential side effects, patient preferences, and cost.