Mounjaro

Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) – Weekly Injection for Weight Management

What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a prescription medication belonging to the dual GIP/GLP‑1 receptor agonist class. It is used alongside diet and exercise to support weight loss and maintenance in people who meet eligibility criteria.

Who may benefit?
Mounjaro is intended for adults with a BMI ≥ 30, or BMI ≥ 27 with weight-related health conditions (e.g. hypertension, type 2 diabetes). It should be considered when lifestyle interventions alone have not achieved sufficient weight loss.

Mechanism & dosing schedule

• Administered as a once‑weekly subcutaneous injection.

• The dose is gradually increased, typically starting at 2.5 mg weekly and titrating through 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, possibly up to 15 mg, depending on tolerability and clinical response.

• Its dual action enhances insulin sensitivity, reduces appetite, and slows gastric emptying to assist with reduced calorie intake.

Effectiveness & monitoring

• Clinical trials show greater weight loss with tirzepatide compared to GLP‑1 monotherapy when combined with lifestyle change.

• Your clinician will monitor your weight, tolerability, and side effects at regular intervals (e.g. every 4–6 weeks).

• If you fail to achieve a threshold weight loss (e.g. ≥5 % of baseline) by a specified time on a target dose, the treatment plan may be reconsidered.

Safety & side effects

• Common side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, decreased appetite.

• Possible injection-site reactions.

• Rare risks: pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, possible kidney effects, and gastrointestinal intolerance.

• Not suitable if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2, or severe GI disease.

• Always inform your clinician of all medicines you take; interactions or medical history may influence suitability.

Important notes

• Mounjaro is a prescription‑only medicine (POM) and cannot be supplied without a clinician’s assessment of suitability.

• It must be used as part of a comprehensive weight‑management plan—diet, exercise and behavioural support are essential.

• Ongoing review is necessary to ensure safety, adjust dosing, and assess efficacy.