The Woman’s World Expert-Reviewed Glossary of GLP-1, Semaglutide and Telehealth

With the rising popularity of telehealth providers offering GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, the terminology can get confusing. What’s the difference between a GLP-1 and semaglutide? Ozempic and Wegovy? What even IS a telehealth provider, anyway?

To figure it all out we reviewed medical literature, consulted with medical professionals, and then asked Dr. Garrett H. Garner, MD, Medical Director at SimpleFixRx to review it all for accuracy. Dr, Garner said, “Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists represent a significant advancement in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. This class of medications, including both long-acting and short-acting formulations, plays a crucial role in managing glycemic control and promoting weight loss.”

“In recent years, the integration of telehealth services has further facilitated access to these therapies, allowing patients to receive care remotely. This document provides an overview of key GLP-1 terms, medication classifications, and relevant telehealth concepts that are shaping modern healthcare delivery.” And if you don’t want to have to come back here every time you have a question, we have a handy free short version you can print out for any time!

Woman’s World Semaglutide, GLP-1 and Telehealth Glossary PDF

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If you're as confused as we were about all the terms for GLP-1 and semaglutide weight loss medications and the telehealth industry as we were, print out our handy reference!

Semaglutide, GLP-1 and Telehealth Glossary

Weight Loss

The Best Places To Buy Ozempic Online

Securing a prescription for GLP-1s can be pricey — and not to mention, sometimes quite frustrating and invasive. But safety is crucial. It’s important to know that you’re getting your monthly dose from a reputable source. That’s why so many online telehealth providers are now popping up, making the process for obtaining GLP-1 weight loss […]

GLP-1 Terms

• GLP-1 RA: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are a class of medications utilized to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. GLP-1 RA medications are grouped into 2 categories (long and short-acting RA) [1]
  • Long-acting RA: Provides longer GLP-1 receptor activation. Depending on the medication, the effects can last for a minimum of 24 hours to a few weeks. Examples include dulaglutide, exenatide extended-release, liraglutide and semaglutide (injectable and oral).
  • Short-acting RA: Provides shorter GLP-1 receptor activation. The effects last only for a few hours. Examples include exenatide and lixisenatide.
    • • Ozempic: Novo Nordisk’s name-brand version of injectable semaglutide to help manage Type 2 diabetes and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.
      • Wegovy: Novo Nordisk’s name-brand version of injectable semaglutide to help adults and children 12 years and older with obesity and reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events.
      • Rybelsus: Novo Nordisk’s name-brand version of oral semaglutide tablets to help improve blood sugar levels (along with diet and exercise) in adults with Type 2 diabetes.
• Semaglutide: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under three separate brand name medications: Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus. Used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. [2]
  • Compounded semaglutide: Medication produced by compounded pharmacies instead of the original drug manufacturer (Novo Nordisk, Lilly, etc.). Vendors may also label compounded medications as generic.
• Tirzepatide: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sold as two name-brand medications (below). FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, obesity, weight loss and sleep apnea. [4] [31]
  • Mounjaro: One of Lilly’s name-brand tirzepatide medications. Mounjaro is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes. [4]
  • Zepbound: One of Lilly’s name-brand tirzepatide medications. While Zepbound is FDA-approved for weight loss, Dr. Garner mentioned that, “It’s primarily marketed for obesity management rather than weight loss.” [3] In December 2024, the FDA approved Zepbound (tirzepatide) as the first and only prescription medicine for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity. [31]
  • Compounded tirzepatide: Medication produced by compounded pharmacies instead of the original drug manufacturer (Novo Nordisk, Lilly, etc.). Vendors may also label compounded medications as generic.
  • Injectable tirzepatide: The most common type of tirzepatide and is typically injected once per week under a doctor’s supervision.
  • Oral tirzepatide: A less common type of tirzepatide and is typically ingested once daily under a doctor’s supervision. [5]
• Dulaglutide: A type of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the brand name Trulicity. It is FDA-approved as a treatment option for adults with type 2 diabetes. [6]
  • Trulicity: Lilly’s brand-name dulaglutide medication.
• Exenatide: A type of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that is FDA-approved to improve glycemic control in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus when used with diet and exercise. [7]
  • Exenatide extended release: A long-acting RA version of exenatide administered as an injection weekly, usually under the Bydureon name.
  • Byetta: Name-brand exenatide medication by Amylin Pharmaceuticals, injected twice daily. (Short-acting RA)  [8]
  • Bydureon: Name-brand exenatide medication by Amylin Pharmaceuticals, injected once weekly (Long-acting RA) [9]
• Liraglutide: A type of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist to help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. It can also help to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in adults with type 2 diabetes and established heart or blood vessel disease. Typically administered as an injection. [10]
  • Victoza: One of Novo Nordisk’s name-brand versions of injectable liraglutide. Approved for type 2 diabetes [11,13]
  • Saxenda: One of Novo Nordisk’s name-brand versions of injectable liraglutide. Approved for weight loss [12,13]
  • Compounded liraglutide: Medication produced by compounded pharmacies instead of the original drug manufacturer (Novo Nordisk, Lilly, etc.). Vendors may also label compounded medications as generic.
• Lixisenatide: A type of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist to help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lixisenatide is a daily injection. It is no longer available in the U.S. [14]
  • Adlyxin: Name-brand version of Lixisenatide owned by Sanofi. Adlyxin is no longer available in the U.S. market as of January 1, 2023. [15]

Weight Loss

Experts: The Best Ozempic and Semaglutide Diet Plan for Optimal Results (With a Handy PDF!)

When you’re taking GLP-1 medications for weight loss, it’s easy for nutrition to get overlooked because while semaglutide medications have been proven effective it is not a magic bullet. Diet will always be an important part of one’s weight loss journey, so Woman’s World contacted several medical experts on the best semaglutide or Ozempic diet […]

Telehealth Terms

• Telehealth: Broadly defined as providing health care at a distance through communication technologies.[16]
  • Telehealth provider: A company or individual medical practice that offers telehealth services. [29] Sometimes, a company or individual may call themselves a telehealth clinic. [30]
• Telemedicine: A type of telehealth that refers to providing remote clinical services. The terms telehealth and telemedicine are sometimes interchanged. Dr. Garner notes that “telemedicine focuses on clinical services, while telehealth encompasses a broader range of health-related services.” [17]
• Online pharmacy: Internet-based vendor that sells medicines to patients. [18]
• Online GLP-1 prescriber: A telehealth provider that can prescribe GLP-1 medication is also known as an online GLP-1 prescriber.
• Compounding pharmacy: A type of pharmacy that sells custom-made medicines to providers, instead of the original drug manufacturer. According to Dr. Garner, “compounded medications may sometimes be different from their name-brand counterparts in terms of efficacy or safety.”
  • 503 A Pharmacy: A compounding pharmacy that produces medications in smaller quantities. [25]
  • 503 B Pharmacy: A compounding pharmacy that can produce medications on a larger scale than 503 A pharmacies. The FDA holds 503 B pharmacies to higher regulatory standards than 503 A pharmacies. [26]
• Virtual consultation: A way of communication with patients and clinicians through telephone or video conferencing. [19]
• Licensed medical provider: A person or organization licensed to provide healthcare services, which may include doctors, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, laboratories, hospitals, clinics, telehealth companies and other healthcare centers. [20]
• Nurse practitioner: A nurse with advanced clinical education and training who shares many of the same duties are doctors. Some telehealth providers use nurse practitioners (NP) instead of medical doctors (MD). [21]
• Labs: A laboratory test or labs for short, is a medical procedure that tests a sample of blood, urine, or other substance from the body. These tests help with a diagnosis, plan treatment, check to see if treatment is working or monitor the disease over time. [22]
• Health questionnaire: A health questionnaire or quiz is typically used in telehealth practices to lifestyle risk factors, assess health care needs, and better understand patients. Most telehealth providers require at least a health questionnaire before prescribing medication. [23]
• Med spa: A med spa is an aesthetic medical center and a day spa that provides nonsurgical aesthetic medical services under the supervision of a licensed physician. Some med spas may offer GLP-1 medication and other health services without a physician’s supervision. [24]
• LegitScript: A 3rd-party organization that evaluates and verifies healthcare businesses. This ensures online pharmacies and telehealth companies comply with all applicable laws. Many payment service providers also require their telehealth providers to be LegitScript certified. [27]
• HIPAA: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that protects sensitive health information from disclosure without a patient’s consent. [28]

Recent Updates:

December 23, 2024: Added sleep apnea for Zepbound (tirzepatide).

References

1. Collins, L., & Costello, R. A. (2024, February 29). Glucagon-Like peptide-1 receptor agonists. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551568/
2. Kommu, S., & Whitfield, P. (2024, February 11). Semaglutide https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK603723/ StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf.
3. Office of the Commissioner. (2023, November 8). FDA approves new medication for chronic weight management https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-medication-chronic-weight-management. U.S. Food And Drug Administration.
4. FDA approves Lilly’s Mounjaro^TM (tirzepatide) injection, the first and only GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes | Eli Lilly and Company https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-approves-lillys-mounjarotm-tirzepatide-injection-first-and
5. Oral tirzepatide (Zepbound® active ingredient), prescribed Henry Meds https://henrymeds.com/tirzepatide-tablets/
6. FDA Approves Trulicity^TM (dulaglutide), Lilly’s Once-Weekly Therapy for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes | Eli Lilly and Company. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-approves-trulicitytm-dulaglutide-lillys-once-weekly-therapy
7. Bridges, A., Bistas, K. G., & Jacobs, T. F. (2023, May 29). Exenatide https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518981/. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf.
8. Byetta Dosage Guide https://www.drugs.com/dosage/byetta.html  Drugs.com.
9. Bydureon: Uses, Dosage & Side Effects.  https://www.drugs.com/bydureon.html Drugs.com.
10. Liraglutide (subcutaneous route). (2024, October 1). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/liraglutide-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20073828
11. Victoza® for Type 2 diabetes. Victoza https://www.victoza.com/
12. Prescription Weight-Loss Medicine | Saxenda® (liraglutide) injection 3mg. (n.d.) https://www.saxenda.com/
13. Saxenda vs Victoza Comparison – Drugs.com. (n.d.). Drugs.com https://www.drugs.com/compare/saxenda-vs-victoza
14. Lixisenatide (subcutaneous route) https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/lixisenatide-subcutaneous-route/description/drg-20312437. (2024, October 1). Mayo Clinic.
15. Sanofi Receives FDA Approval of AdlyxinTM for Treatment of Adults with Type 2 Diabetes – Jul 27, 2016. (2016, July 27) https://www.news.sanofi.us/2016-07-27-Sanofi-Receives-FDA-Approval-of-AdlyxinTM-for-Treatment-of-Adults-with-Type-2-Diabetes
16. Telehealth https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/telehealth. (n.d.). National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.
17. Telehealth and telemedicine https://www.aafp.org/about/policies/all/telehealth-telemedicine.html. (n.d.). AAFP.
18. Desai, C. (2016). Online pharmacies: A boon or bane? Indian Journal of Pharmacology, 48 https://doi.org/10.4103/0253-7613.194865(6), 615.
19. Campbell, K., Greenfield, G., Li, E., O’Brien, N., Hayhoe, B., Beaney, T., Majeed, A., & Neves, A. L. (2023). The impact of virtual consultations on the quality of primary Care: Systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25 https://doi.org/10.2196/48920, e48920.
20. Definition of health care provider – NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/health-care-provider. (n.d.). Cancer.gov.
21. Professional, C. C. M. (2024, July 26). Nurse practitioner https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24651-nurse-practitioner. Cleveland Clinic.
22. Definition of laboratory test – NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/laboratory-test. (n.d.). Cancer.gov.
23. Mitchell, J. D. (1996, March 1). Patient health questionnaire. Using a patient-focused assessment tool https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2146304/.
24. Mariotti, E., MD. (2019, March 8). What to look for in a quality med spa https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/what-to-look-for-in-a-quality-med-spa. American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
25. Fischer, K. (2023, May 22). What is a compounding pharmacy? https://www.webmd.com/drug-medication/what-is-compounding-pharmacy WebMD.
26. Beuoy, C. (2020, August 8). 503a vs. 503b Pharmacies – Veterinary Medicine at Illinois https://vetmed.illinois.edu/2020/08/08/503a-vs-503b-pharmacies/. Veterinary Medicine at Illinois.
27. LegitScript. (2024, April 10). Compliance Certification: your safety assurance | LegitScript. https://www.legitscript.com/certification/
28. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). (2024, September 10). Public Health Law. https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/php/resources/health-insurance-portability-and-accountability-act-of-1996-hipaa.html
29. Why use telehealth? https://telehealth.hhs.gov/patients/why-use-telehealth (2024, February 29). telehealth.hhs.gov.
30. Hone Health. (2024, September 20). Hone Health: a telehealth clinic unlocking energy and longevity https://honehealth.com/.
31. FDA approves Zepbound® (tirzepatide) as the first and only prescription medicine for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity | Eli Lilly and Company https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-approves-zepboundr-tirzepatide-first-and-only-prescription. (n.d.). Eli Lilly and Company.

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