Liraglutide
A once-daily injected GLP-1 receptor agonist for type 2 diabetes (adults and children from 10) and for weight management.
Drug card
- How it works
- Activating GLP-1 receptors, raising insulin and curbing appetite
- Used for
- Type 2 diabetes (adults and children aged 10 and over)
- Weight management in obesity or overweight
- Cutting heart attack and stroke risk in diabetes
- Known for
- Nausea
- Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
- Thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents (human risk unknown)
- Its name
- -glutide means a GLP analogue (mostly GLP-1 agonists)
Study it as a flashcard, and it comes back before you forget it.
Mechanism of action
How does liraglutide work?
Liraglutide is GLP-1 with a 97% sequence match to the human hormone and an attached palmitic acid chain. The fatty acid lets it bind albumin and cluster under the skin, which delays absorption and shields it from DPP-4 and neutral endopeptidase, giving a half-life of about 13 hours. It raises glucose-dependent insulin release, lowers glucagon and slows stomach emptying.
Like other GLP-1 receptor agonists: GLP-1 receptor agonists activate the receptor for glucagon-like peptide-1, a Gs-coupled receptor that raises cAMP in beta cells. Insulin release rises and glucagon falls only when glucose is high, the stomach empties more slowly, and receptors in the brain cut appetite, so glucose and body weight fall. Unlike natural GLP-1, which DPP-4 inactivates within minutes, they resist breakdown and last hours to days.
Uses
What is liraglutide used for?
- Type 2 diabetes (adults and children aged 10 and over)
- Weight management in obesity or overweight
- Cutting heart attack and stroke risk in diabetes
Side effects
Side effects of liraglutide
- NauseaKnown for
- Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)Known forSerious
- Thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents (human risk unknown)Known forSerious
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Constipation
- Gallstones and gallbladder inflammationSerious
- Kidney injury from dehydrationSerious
- Faster resting heart rate
- Raised liver enzymes, rarely hepatitisSerious
- Swelling of face and throat (angioedema)Serious
Known for marks what an exam expects you to know it for.
Watch for
Cautions and what sets it apart
- Contraindicated if the person or a close relative has had medullary thyroid cancer, and in MEN 2.
- Check heart rate regularly, as resting heart rate can rise.
- Do not combine it with other liraglutide products or other GLP-1 receptor agonists.
- Vomiting or diarrhea can dehydrate and injure the kidneys: check kidney function if they occur.
Good to know: Injected daily, unlike weekly semaglutide; the same molecule is licensed separately for weight management.
Remember it
A way to remember it
GLP-1 agonists put the brakes on the stomach.
Slower stomach emptying and a fuller feeling cut appetite and weight, and the same effect explains the nausea and vomiting and the risk of aspiration under anesthesia.
Written for biofideX
Its name
-glutide means GLP analogue (mostly GLP-1 agonists)
Semaglutide, liraglutide and dulaglutide are GLP-1 receptor agonists; WHO files the stem under -tide (peptides). Exenatide and lixisenatide end in -enatide instead.
- Every drug name stem
Its class
GLP-1 receptor agonists
Other GLP-1 receptor agonists with a card:
Easily mixed up with DPP-4 inhibitors and insulins.
Sources
Checked against
Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:
- Liraglutide injection: label (DailyMed)
- Liraglutide injection (diabetes): label (DailyMed)
- Liraglutide injection (weight management): label (DailyMed)
- Liraglutide (NHS)
- Liraglutide (NCI Thesaurus)
For learning pharmacology, not for treatment decisions: no doses are given, and a prescriber, pharmacist or the product's own label is the word on any one patient. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.
Diabetes
Liraglutide is one of 14 drugs practiced together here: their classes, how they work, what they treat and what they're known for.
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