What the Victoza® labels say, and do not say
A word search of the three sources finds no entry for hiccups. The US prescribing information does not include them in Table 1, in the text on digestive reactions or in its postmarketing list. [1] The European summary of product characteristics and leaflet do not list them. [2] Nor does the Canadian monograph, in its trial tables or its patient information. [3] Because the Canadian tables count every event reported by at least 1% of people in each trial, hiccups on Victoza® were either below that level or not reported as such. [3] That is not proof they never happen, only that the trials did not pick them up.
What the sources do describe are the reactions closest to hiccups in the body: those of the stomach and gullet.
| Source and term | Victoza® 1.2 mg | 1.8 mg | Comparison group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiccups, any Victoza® source [1][2][3] | Not listed | Not listed | — |
| US label, Table 1: dyspepsia [1] | 4% | 7% | Placebo 1% |
| Canada, trial 1860: reflux disease [3] | 1.4% | 2.3% | Sitagliptin 0.9% |
| Canada, LEAD-2: dyspepsia [3] | 2.1% | 7.0% | Placebo 0.8% |
| EU SmPC, Table 1 [2] | Common: dyspepsia, gastritis, reflux, abdominal distension, flatulence. Uncommon: delayed gastric emptying | ||
| Canada, patient information [3] | Burping listed as common |
What research covers, and what it does not
For semaglutide, the medicine in Ozempic® and Wegovy®, there is something to point to. The Wegovy® label names hiccups among digestive reactions that were more frequent than on placebo, mostly during dose increases. [4] A 2022 study of US safety reports for semaglutide alone listed hiccups among its digestive signals, with 47 reports, rated as a moderate clinical priority. [5] Neither tells us anything direct about liraglutide: they concern a different molecule at different doses.
A 2025 population study of adults with type 2 diabetes in the United Kingdom compared people starting GLP-1 medicines with people starting SGLT-2 inhibitors. Over about three years, reflux disease was more frequent in the GLP-1 group (risk ratio 1.27, an extra 0.7 cases per 100 people). [6] The abstract reports the medicines as a class, not drug by drug, and it is an observational study, so it describes an association. [6] Reflux matters here because it is one of the causes of persistent hiccups. [8]
How a digestive medicine could be involved
Cleveland Clinic explains that hiccups happen when something irritates the nerves that make the diaphragm contract, including the vagus and phrenic nerves, through a reflex pathway. [8] Short bouts are often linked to eating too much or too fast, fizzy drinks or swallowing air; longer ones to conditions such as reflux disease and gastritis. [8]
Liraglutide slows how quickly the stomach empties, which is part of how it lowers blood sugar after meals. [1] It is plausible that a fuller stomach for longer, together with indigestion or reflux, could set off hiccups in some people, but this has not been studied for liraglutide; treat it as a hypothesis, not a finding.
Other causes, including one linked to a label warning
MedlinePlus notes that hiccups usually start for no clear reason and stop within minutes, and lists triggers such as hot or spicy food and drink, irritating fumes, abdominal surgery and conditions that irritate the diaphragm’s nerves, such as pleurisy, pneumonia or upper abdominal disease; rarely, a stroke or brain tumour. [7] Cleveland Clinic adds medicines such as dexamethasone, some benzodiazepines and azithromycin, surgery under general anaesthesia, and metabolic problems including uremia, the build-up of waste when the kidneys fail. [8]
That last item connects to a Victoza® warning. The label describes acute kidney injury in people who became dehydrated through nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, especially when starting or increasing the dose. [1] Hiccups that persist alongside ongoing vomiting or passing very little urine are a reason to call rather than wait.
What the sources suggest trying
MedlinePlus says there is no sure way to stop hiccups and lists common suggestions: holding your breath, drinking cold water, breathing into a paper bag or swallowing a little sugar. [7] Cleveland Clinic calls the evidence for home remedies anecdotal and adds sipping or gargling iced water. [8] For people using insulin or a sulfonylurea, a spoon of sugar is a small amount, but it is still worth knowing your plan for blood sugar. [1]
Cleveland Clinic lists eating too much or too fast and fizzy drinks among common triggers. [8] Those also overlap with the label’s advice to watch for digestive effects, so smaller meals and slower eating are reasonable things to discuss with your prescriber or diabetes educator. If you suspect any medicine, Cleveland Clinic warns not to stop it unless your provider tells you to. [8]
Victoza®, Ozempic® and Wegovy® are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S. PepLabo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Novo Nordisk A/S.
When to get help
The signs and contact information below come from this article’s sourced guidance.
Emergency
- Hiccups with severe stomach pain that will not go away, possibly spreading to the back
Contact: Stop Victoza® and call your prescriber right away
Medication Guide [1]