Revista Ibero-Americana de Humanidades, Ciências E Educação · Oct 21, 2026
INDISCRIMINATE USE OF TIRZEPATIDE IN AESTHETIC CLINICS: POSSIBLE RENAL COMPLICATIONS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH METABOLIC COMORBIDITIES AND EXCESS BODY WEIGHT
By da Silva IGD, de Souza GM, de Lima MRA et al.
The increasing use of tirzepatide in aesthetic settings has raised concerns about clinical safety, particularly regarding the risk of renal complications in individuals with diabetes mellitus and obesity. Tirzepatide is a dual agonist of the glucagon-like peptide 1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptors, with effects on glycemic control and body weight reduction. The study aimed to highlight the possible renal complications associated with the indiscriminate use of tirzepatide in aesthetic settings, considering the pathophysiological mechanisms involved and the related risk factors. This was an integrative literature review with a qualitative approach and a descriptive design, conducted in the PubMed, SciELO, and LILACS databases using descriptors related to tirzepatide, renal function, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and adverse effects. The results demonstrated that nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite, and low fluid intake can cause dehydration, hypovolemia, decreased renal perfusion, and reduced glomerular filtration rate. Reports of fluid and electrolyte disturbances, acid-base disturbances, prerenal kidney injury, acute tubular injury, and tubulointerstitial nephritis were also identified. The risks were more relevant in patients with preexisting kidney disease, older adults, individuals undergoing inappropriate dose increases, and users of diuretics, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers, or SGLT2 inhibitors. It was concluded that renal complications are rare and documented mainly in case reports but may be clinically severe. The use of tirzepatide requires an appropriate indication, gradual dose escalation, and monitoring of renal function, hydration status, and electrolyte concentrations.