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In relation to managing weight reduction and kind 2 diabetes with drugs, analysis reveals that it is out with the previous and in with the brand new.
Investigators from Mass Normal Brigham checked out claims knowledge from practically 2 million individuals between 2021 and 2023 and their findings spotlight a shifting panorama for weight reduction and glucose-managing drugs.
These adjustments embrace a pointy climb in the usage of newly authorized drugs, particularly tirzepatide, which is offered beneath the model identify Mounjaro for diabetes remedy and Zepbound for weight reduction. Using drugs beforehand frequent within the remedy of kind 2 diabetes, together with metformin, sulfonylureas, and insulin, decreased.
Outcomes are revealed in Annals of Inside Medication.
“Taken together, these findings highlight the rapidly shifting landscape of prescribing patterns for glucose-lowering and weight-lowering medications,” mentioned lead writer John W. Ostrominski, MD, of the Cardiovascular Division, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, and Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics at Brigham and Girls’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass Normal Brigham well being care system.
“These changing trends likely reflect the combination of new evidence, increased awareness and prioritization of obesity treatment, and changing guidance for how to help patients manage these conditions.”
The examine examined claims knowledge amongst individuals with business insurance coverage. The researchers report that in January 2021, roughly half of the weight-lowering drugs initiated by individuals with out diabetes have been GLP-1RA-based drugs corresponding to semaglutide and tirzepatide.
By December 2023, this share had elevated to almost 90%, with tirzepatide being essentially the most generally began (31%). Use of different weight-loss drugs, corresponding to phentermine and liraglutide, declined.
Amongst individuals with kind 2 diabetes, 13% began GLP-1RA-based drugs in January 2021. That fee rose to 35% by December 2023. Metformin, essentially the most generally began glucose-lowering remedy in January 2021 (30%), declined to 19% by December 2023.
When the authors in contrast the speedy post-approval uptake of tirzepatide to different drugs not too long ago authorized for kind 2 diabetes or weight problems, they discovered that the rise in tirzepatide’s use was steeper and extra sustained.
“We saw a sharp uptake of tirzepatide after regulatory approval—these kinds of trends are important for patients, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to be aware of,” mentioned Ostrominski.
“The rapidly expanding uptake of tirzepatide and GLP-1RA underscores the need for clinicians to become more familiar with their use, for researchers to improve understanding of their long-term effects, and for health policy that promotes sustained access and affordability.”
The researchers notice a number of limitations to the work, together with that it’s unsure whether or not the findings from commercially insured U.S. adults are generalizable to different populations and international locations.
“Importantly, we don’t yet have long-term data from outcomes trials for tirzepatide as we do for GLP-1RA, but preliminary data are reassuring,” mentioned Ostrominski.
“In the future, data comparing the benefits of tirzepatide versus semaglutide for glycemic control, obesity management, and cardiovascular outcomes will help us have more informed conversations with patients about choosing the medication that’s right for them.”
Extra info:
Ostrominski JW et al. Developments in Utilization of Glucose- and Weight-Reducing Drugs After Tirzepatide Approval in the US.Annals of Inside Medication (2025). DOI: 10.7326/ANNALS-24-02870
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Examine captures sharp uptake in use of recent weight reduction and glucose-lowering drugs (2025, April 15)
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