ATLANTA — Initially marketed as diabetes treatments, GLP-1 drugs are now surging in popularity as weight loss solutions. With more people turning to the medications, Georgia’s Poison Center is seeing a subsequent rise in related emergency calls.

“It’s caused our call volume to skyrocket,” said Gaylord Lopez, executive director of the Georgia Poison Center.

GLP-1 drugs , or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, help regulate blood sugar and appetite. Synthetic versions are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for diabetes treatment, and some are authorized for weight loss.

As access has expanded, reports of overdoses are also growing. The Georgia Poison Center received 129 calls tied to GLP-1 drugs in 2023. That number nearly doubled last year to 246 and has already reach

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