[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Pharmacology](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/) › [GLP-1 receptor agonists](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/glp-1-receptor-agonists/) › Liraglutide

[Pharmacology](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/) · [GLP-1 receptor agonists](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/glp-1-receptor-agonists/)

# Liraglutide

A once-daily injected GLP-1 agonist for type 2 diabetes and, at other doses, obesity. It raises insulin after meals and curbs appetite.

Updated 2026-11-01

- Class: [GLP-1 receptor agonists](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/glp-1-receptor-agonists/)
- Receptor: GLP-1 receptor (GLP1R)
- ATC code: A10BJ02
- WHO Model List of Essential Medicines

◎**GLP-1 receptor (GLP1R)**Liraglutide

ⓘ No structure with liraglutide bound to the receptor is available; the figure shows native GLP-1, the hormone liraglutide copies almost exactly, bound to the human GLP-1 receptor with its Gs protein.

**Target in 3D:** GLP-1 receptor (GLP1R). PDB structure 6X18 (RCSB PDB, public domain). [View the structure at RCSB PDB](https://www.rcsb.org/structure/6X18) · Drag to rotate · pinch to zoom

## Mechanism of action

Liraglutide is human GLP-1 with one amino-acid change and a fatty acid chain attached. The fatty acid binds albumin and slows absorption, protecting it from DPP-4 and stretching its action to a day. It activates the GLP-1 receptor: glucose-dependent insulin release rises, glucagon falls, the stomach empties more slowly and appetite falls.

- Activates the GLP-1 receptor (Gs, cAMP)
- Beta cells release more insulin when glucose is high
- Glucagon falls and the stomach empties more slowly
- Appetite falls: lower glucose and weight

## Pharmacokinetics

**Absorption**
Subcutaneous injection, absorbed slowly.

**Distribution**
Highly bound to albumin.

**Metabolism**
Broken down like other proteins, by peptidases; no single organ dominates.

**Half-life**
Long enough for once-daily injection.

## Indications

- Type 2 diabetes, and to reduce heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death in those with heart disease [Type 2 diabetes mellitus →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/type-2-diabetes-mellitus/)
- Chronic weight management in obesity, with a different preparation [Obesity →](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/obesity/)

## Adverse effects

### Common

- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain (most common, mostly at the start)
- Reduced appetite
- Injection-site reactions
- Slightly faster heart rate

### Serious (rare, important)

- Acute pancreatitis
- Gallbladder disease (gallstones, cholecystitis)
- Acute kidney injury from dehydration after vomiting or diarrhea
- Thyroid C-cell tumors (seen in rodents; risk in humans unknown)
- Pulmonary aspiration during anesthesia or deep sedation, because the stomach empties slowly

## Contraindications

- Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2)
- Serious hypersensitivity to the drug

## Key interactions

**Insulin or sulfonylureas**
Higher risk of hypoglycemia; their dose is often reduced.

**Oral drugs in general**
Slower gastric emptying can change their absorption.

## What is monitored

- HbA1c and weight
- Kidney function if vomiting or diarrhea
- Symptoms of pancreatitis or gallbladder disease
- Mood in people treated for weight

## Administration and safety

- Subcutaneous injection in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm, rotating sites.
- Pens are for one person only and are never shared, even with a new needle.
- The dose is raised step by step to limit nausea.
- Unopened pens are kept in the refrigerator, not frozen.

## Nursing care

- Before: thyroid history (medullary carcinoma, MEN 2), pancreatitis history, kidney function.
- During: severe abdominal pain spreading to the back (pancreatitis), vomiting and dehydration.
- Teach to report a neck lump, hoarseness or trouble swallowing.
- The anesthesia team is told before surgery or endoscopy.

## Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Not used in pregnancy (weight loss is not a goal and animal data showed harm); it is stopped ahead of a planned pregnancy.

## Memory aid

Liraglutide = GLP-1 with a 'fatty backpack': the fat chain hitches a ride on albumin, so the hormone lasts a day instead of minutes.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## How is liraglutide protected from DPP-4?

A fatty acid chain makes it bind albumin and leave the injection site slowly, shielding it from DPP-4 and lengthening its action.

## A patient on liraglutide has severe upper abdominal pain spreading to the back. What is the concern?

Acute pancreatitis. The drug is stopped and the patient assessed (lipase, imaging).

## Why can GLP-1 agonists injure the kidney?

Vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration, which leads to acute kidney injury.

[Add to my cards (3)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/pharmacology/liraglutide/)

## Related drugs

- [Semaglutide](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/semaglutide/)
- [Dulaglutide](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/dulaglutide/)
- [Exenatide](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/exenatide/)
- [Tirzepatide](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/tirzepatide/)

## Related conditions

- [Type 2 diabetes mellitus](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/type-2-diabetes-mellitus/)
- [Obesity](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/obesity/)

[← Back to the class: GLP-1 receptor agonists](https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/classes/glp-1-receptor-agonists/)

Educational content on how drugs work; not a prescribing guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.

Sources: [Liraglutide Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information](https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a611003.html) (MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2026); [DailyMed - LIRAGLUTIDE injection, solution](https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=bb66a46c-9019-4a98-8e5d-581109facfba) (DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2026); [GLP-1 peptide hormone bound to Glucagon-Like peptide-1 (GLP-1) Receptor](https://www.rcsb.org/structure/6X18) (RCSB Protein Data Bank, 2020); [ATCDDD - ATC/DDD Index](https://atcddd.fhi.no/atc_ddd_index/?code=A10BJ02) (WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, 2026).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.

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License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/pharmacology/liraglutide/