{
  "abstract": "Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are important therapeutic options for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Despite their increasing use, safety concerns remain, and pharmacy students' knowledge of their adverse effects is unclear. This study evaluated pharmacy students' knowledge and attitudes regarding GLP-1 RA adverse effects in obesity management. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among undergraduate Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) students (1st-7th year) at Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia, between November and December 2025. A newly developed questionnaire, reviewed by two experts and pilot-tested among 10 students, assessed 17 knowledge and five attitude items covering indications, mechanisms, adverse effects, and clinical scenarios. Of 1,118 eligible students, 296 completed the survey (response rate: 26.5%). Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression analyses were performed using RStudio (version 2024.9.1.394). Among participants (63.9% male), the mean knowledge score was 7.6 ± 4.0/17. Most agreed that adverse effects significantly impact clinical use (59.4%) and supported further education on less common side effects (61.1%). Nausea was the most frequently recognized adverse effect (59.1%), whereas thyroid C-cell tumors observed in rodent studies (25.0%) and diabetic retinopathy complications (36.5%) were less commonly identified. Only 37.2% correctly recognized that hypoglycemia is uncommon with GLP-1 RA monotherapy. Higher knowledge scores were significantly associated with greater confidence in knowledge (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06-1.17; p < 0.001) and stronger endorsement of further education on less common side effects (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06-1.18; p < 0.001), whereas gender and academic year were not significant predictors of any attitude item. Pharmacy students demonstrated limited knowledge but generally positive attitudes regarding GLP-1 RA safety. These findings highlight the need to strengthen pharmacovigilance and evidence-based medication safety education within pharmacy curricula to improve clinical preparedness and patient counseling.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.",
    "Pharmaceutical practices Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.",
    "College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.",
    "Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Alaa A Khojah"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Malaz J Gazzaz"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Mohammed M Aldurdunji"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ahmad E Safiraldeen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Ibrahim R Al-Qurashi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Mohammad A Alhazmi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Ashraf N Abdalla"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Roaya S Alqurashi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Saad M Wali",
      "orcid": "0009-0006-0080-4799"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1wzsvr20ts0nw.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1080/19932820.2026.2749899",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13678873",
  "id": "1wzsvr20ts0nw",
  "issns": [
    "1993-2820",
    "1819-6357"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42886550",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2736|Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222763411",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13678873?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13678873",
  "pmid": "42886550",
  "published": "2026-10-16",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1wzsvr20ts0nw.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:46Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42886550",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42886550"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2736|Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment",
      "subfield": "pharmacology-toxicology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Pharmacy students' knowledge and attitudes regarding GLP-1 receptor agonist adverse effects in obesity management: a cross-sectional study.",
  "title_text": "Pharmacy students' knowledge and attitudes regarding GLP-1 receptor agonist adverse effects in obesity management: a cross-sectional study.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:46Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1wzsvr20ts0nw",
  "venue": "The Libyan journal of medicine",
  "versions": []
}