Wegovy® is an injectable prescription medicine to treat adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with moderate to advanced liver scarring (fibrosis), but not with cirrhosis of the liver, along with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity. This indication is approved based on improvement of MASH and liver scarring (fibrosis). There is an ongoing study to confirm the clinical benefit of Wegovy® in adults with MASH.
Glossary
Making sense of MASH comes with a lot of new information. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or just trying to learn more, this glossary can help you understand some common phrases you may encounter.
MASH, metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis.
The most common terms and phrases related to MASH
Ballooning: A sign of liver cell damage commonly found in MASH, in which cells are enlarged.
Cardiovascular disease: A range of health conditions that affect your heart and blood vessels. Cardiovascular disease is associated with MASH and is the leading cause of death for people with MASH.
Cirrhosis: The most severe stage of liver scarring, which can prevent the liver from working properly and lead to liver failure.
Fatty liver: Excess buildup of fat in your liver.
GLP-1 RA: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist.
HDL: High-density lipoprotein or "good cholesterol," which carries cholesterol away from other parts of your body back to the liver. Low HDL levels are associated with an increased risk for MASH.
High blood pressure: A condition that strains the heart and blood vessels. It is associated with an increased risk for MASH.
Liver enzymes: Proteins released by the liver into the blood. Persistently elevated liver enzymes (for over 6 months) are associated with an increased risk for MASH.
Liver scarring (fibrosis): The formation of scar tissue in the liver. In MASH, ongoing inflammation and liver cell damage can lead to a buildup of scar tissue, which can eventually progress to the most severe stage known as cirrhosis.
MASH: A serious form of fatty liver disease. Let’s break it down:
“Metabolic” = related to metabolism, how the body processes food into energy
“Dysfunction” = something isn’t working properly
“Associated” = linked or connected to
“Steato” = fat
“Hepatitis” = inflammation of the liver
Metabolic dysfunction: When the body's ability to process nutrients into energy is not working properly.
NASH: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is what MASH used to be called before it was renamed. The condition was renamed MASH to better highlight the underlying metabolic causes.
Obesity: A complex chronic disease defined by the World Health Organization as excessive body fat that can impair a person's health. If an adult’s weight is more than what’s considered healthy based on their height, it’s classified as overweight or obesity. Obesity is considered a metabolic disease and a major risk factor for MASH.
PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome): A hormonal disorder affecting the ovaries, often coexisting with insulin resistance and obesity. PCOS is also a metabolic disease associated with an increased risk for MASH.
Placebo: A substance with no active ingredient.
Prediabetes: A condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet in the diabetic range. Prediabetes is a metabolic disease and a risk factor for developing or worsening MASH.
Triglycerides: A type of fat found in the blood. High levels of this fat are associated with an increased risk for MASH.
Type 2 diabetes: A condition in which the body doesn't respond to, use, or make enough insulin, resulting in high blood sugar levels. It is considered a metabolic disease and a major risk factor for MASH.
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Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
- Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, Wegovy® and medicines that work like Wegovy® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Wegovy® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people
- Do not use Wegovy® if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
Do not use Wegovy® if:
- you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
- you have had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or any of the ingredients in Wegovy®
Before using Wegovy®, tell your healthcare provider if you have any other medical conditions, including if you:
- have or have had problems with your pancreas or kidneys
- have type 2 diabetes and a history of diabetic retinopathy
- have or have had depression, suicidal thoughts, or mental health issues
- are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation)
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Wegovy® may harm your unborn baby. You should stop using Wegovy® 2 months before you plan to become pregnant
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Wegovy® passes into your breast milk
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Wegovy® may affect the way some medicines work and some medicines may affect the way Wegovy® works. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking other medicines to treat diabetes, including sulfonylureas or insulin. Wegovy® slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly.
What are the possible side effects of Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
- inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using Wegovy® and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without nausea or vomiting. Sometimes you may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back
- gallbladder problems. Wegovy® may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Some gallstones may need surgery. Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms, such as pain in your upper stomach (abdomen), fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or clay-colored stools
- increased risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), especially those who also take medicines for diabetes such as insulin or sulfonylureas. This can be a serious side effect. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before you start and while you take Wegovy®. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include dizziness or light-headedness, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability or mood changes, sweating, slurred speech, hunger, confusion or drowsiness, shakiness, weakness, headache, fast heartbeat, or feeling jittery
- dehydration leading to kidney problems. Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration) which may cause kidney problems. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that does not go away
- severe stomach problems. Stomach problems, sometimes severe, have been reported in people who use Wegovy®. Tell your healthcare provider if you have stomach problems that are severe or will not go away
- serious allergic reactions. Stop using Wegovy® and get medical help right away, if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat; problems breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting or feeling dizzy; or very rapid heartbeat
- change in vision in people with type 2 diabetes. Tell your healthcare provider if you have changes in vision during treatment with Wegovy®
- increased heart rate. Wegovy® can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel your heart racing or pounding in your chest and it lasts for several minutes
- depression or thoughts of suicide. You should pay attention to any mental changes, especially sudden changes in your mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any mental changes that are new, worse, or worry you
- food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation). Wegovy® may increase the chance of food getting into your lungs during surgery or other procedures. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Wegovy® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures
The most common side effects of Wegovy® may include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach (abdomen) pain, headache, tiredness (fatigue), upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and runny nose or sore throat.
Please see Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for Wegovy®.
Wegovy® is a prescription medication.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
This site is intended for US patients only.
What is Wegovy®?
WEGOVY® (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg is an injectable prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to treat adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with moderate to advanced liver scarring (fibrosis), but not with cirrhosis of the liver.
This indication is approved based on improvement of MASH and liver scarring (fibrosis). There is an ongoing study to confirm the clinical benefit of Wegovy® in adults with MASH.
Wegovy® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.
It is not known if Wegovy® is safe and effective for use for the treatment of MASH in children under 18 years.
What is Wegovy®?
WEGOVY® (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg is an injectable prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to treat adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with moderate to advanced liver scarring (fibrosis), but not with cirrhosis of the liver.
This indication is approved based on improvement of MASH and liver scarring (fibrosis). There is an ongoing study to confirm the clinical benefit of Wegovy® in adults with MASH.
Wegovy® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.
It is not known if Wegovy® is safe and effective for use for the treatment of MASH in children under 18 years.
Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
- Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, Wegovy® and medicines that work like Wegovy® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Wegovy® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people
- Do not use Wegovy® if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
- Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, Wegovy® and medicines that work like Wegovy® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Wegovy® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people
- Do not use Wegovy® if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
Do not use Wegovy® if:
- you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
- you have had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or any of the ingredients in Wegovy®
Before using Wegovy®, tell your healthcare provider if you have any other medical conditions, including if you:
- have or have had problems with your pancreas or kidneys
- have type 2 diabetes and a history of diabetic retinopathy
- have or have had depression, suicidal thoughts, or mental health issues
- are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation)
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Wegovy® may harm your unborn baby. You should stop using Wegovy® 2 months before you plan to become pregnant
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Wegovy® passes into your breast milk
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Wegovy® may affect the way some medicines work and some medicines may affect the way Wegovy® works. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking other medicines to treat diabetes, including sulfonylureas or insulin. Wegovy® slows stomach emptying and can affect medicines that need to pass through the stomach quickly.
What are the possible side effects of Wegovy®?
Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:
- inflammation of your pancreas (pancreatitis). Stop using Wegovy® and call your healthcare provider right away if you have severe pain in your stomach area (abdomen) that will not go away, with or without nausea or vomiting. Sometimes you may feel the pain from your abdomen to your back
- gallbladder problems. Wegovy® may cause gallbladder problems, including gallstones. Some gallstones may need surgery. Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms, such as pain in your upper stomach (abdomen), fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), or clay-colored stools
- increased risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), especially those who also take medicines for diabetes such as insulin or sulfonylureas. This can be a serious side effect. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to recognize and treat low blood sugar and check your blood sugar before you start and while you take Wegovy®. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include dizziness or light-headedness, blurred vision, anxiety, irritability or mood changes, sweating, slurred speech, hunger, confusion or drowsiness, shakiness, weakness, headache, fast heartbeat, or feeling jittery
- dehydration leading to kidney problems. Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration) which may cause kidney problems. It is important for you to drink fluids to help reduce your chance of dehydration. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea that does not go away
- severe stomach problems. Stomach problems, sometimes severe, have been reported in people who use Wegovy®. Tell your healthcare provider if you have stomach problems that are severe or will not go away
- serious allergic reactions. Stop using Wegovy® and get medical help right away, if you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat; problems breathing or swallowing; severe rash or itching; fainting or feeling dizzy; or very rapid heartbeat
- change in vision in people with type 2 diabetes. Tell your healthcare provider if you have changes in vision during treatment with Wegovy®
- increased heart rate. Wegovy® can increase your heart rate while you are at rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you feel your heart racing or pounding in your chest and it lasts for several minutes
- depression or thoughts of suicide. You should pay attention to any mental changes, especially sudden changes in your mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any mental changes that are new, worse, or worry you
- food or liquid getting into the lungs during surgery or other procedures that use anesthesia or deep sleepiness (deep sedation). Wegovy® may increase the chance of food getting into your lungs during surgery or other procedures. Tell all your healthcare providers that you are taking Wegovy® before you are scheduled to have surgery or other procedures
The most common side effects of Wegovy® may include: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach (abdomen) pain, headache, tiredness (fatigue), upset stomach, dizziness, feeling bloated, belching, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, stomach flu, heartburn, and runny nose or sore throat.
Please see Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for Wegovy®.
Wegovy® is a prescription medication.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
This site is intended for US patients only.
What is Wegovy®?
WEGOVY® (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg is an injectable prescription medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to treat adults with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with moderate to advanced liver scarring (fibrosis), but not with cirrhosis of the liver.
This indication is approved based on improvement of MASH and liver scarring (fibrosis). There is an ongoing study to confirm the clinical benefit of Wegovy® in adults with MASH.
Wegovy® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.
It is not known if Wegovy® is safe and effective for use for the treatment of MASH in children under 18 years.
