Before prescribing liraglutide, a physician must counsel the patient about a boxed warning shared by all GLP-1 receptor agonists. This warning concerns:
- A Irreversible acute kidney injury requiring dialysis
- B Severe hypoglycemia when used as monotherapy
- C Acute pancreatitis and medullary thyroid carcinoma risk seen in rodent studies ✓
- D Increased fracture risk from bone demineralization
Explanation
GLP-1 receptor agonists carry a boxed warning for medullary thyroid carcinoma based on A-cell tumors in rodents, mediated by GLP-1 receptors on thyroid A cells, and they are contraindicated in patients with personal or family history of MEN2 or MTC. Acute pancreatitis is a labeled precaution. Monotherapy causes little hypoglycemia since insulin release is glucose dependent, and renal injury and fractures are not class warnings.
Reference: Katzung's Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 15th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.