Perioperative Management of Patients Taking GLP-1 Receptor Agonists. A Mini-Review

Abstract

In July 2025, the British Journal of Anaesthesia published recommendations for the perioperative management of patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists. The authors of this multidisciplinary consensus are SPAQI, the Society for Perioperative Assessment and Quality Improvement. GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) are medications used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity, which significantly slow gastrointestinal motility. Delayed gastric emptying is one of the risk factors for aspiration of gastric contents in these patients during the perioperative period. The recommendations address the perioperative management of these medications and the duration of preoperative fasting for both fluids and solid food with the aim of increasing patient safety in terms of aspiration prevention, as well as optimizing diabetes management and thereby reducing associated complications.