Self-Medication with Tirzepatide for Weight Loss Resulting in Life-Threatening Conditions: A Clinical Case
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: INTRODUCTION. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists are used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, weight reduction, and weight control. Owing to their weight-loss and appetite-suppressant effects, information about these agents has spread widely in the mass media and social networks. A notable aspect of their use worldwide is the widespread practice of self-medication. We present a case of off-label self-medication with the prescription drug tirzepatide. CASE REPORT. A 51-year-old woman (BMI 22.9 kg/m 2 , without type 2 diabetes mellitus) self-injected 5 mg of tirzepatide to lose 2–3 kg of body weight. The subsequent self-administration of the prescription medications metoclopramide and furosemide without consulting a physician to relieve nausea, vomiting, and elevated blood pressure led to adverse drug interactions with fluoxetine and bisoprolol, which the patient was taking regularly, and resulted in multiple life-threatening conditions (extrapyramidal disorders, serotonin syndrome, severe electrolyte disturbances, QTc interval prolongation, and rhabdomyolysis) requiring hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS. Self-medication with tirzepatide at an inadequately high starting dose of 5 mg was the trigger that initiated a cascade of predictable but severe adverse drug reactions. The subsequent uncontrolled use of prescription medications to relieve the symptoms without adherence to dosage regimens and frequency of administration, as well as without consideration of potential drug interactions, led to the development of life-threatening conditions. This clinical case highlights the problem of popularization of GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists in the mass media and underscores the need for physician supervision and proactive patient education about the risks, especially in the presence of concomitant pharmacotherapy.
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmacology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7202348958