Diabetes drug reduces OSA severity in adults with obesity, study shows

The finding could be good news for people who don't like wearing a CPAP mask to bed.
HealthDay News

Type 2 diabetes drug tirzepatide has been shown to be effective in treating moderate to severe sleep apnoea in a worldwide clinical trial.

US researchers showed that tirzepatide (Mounjaro) — a GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor agonist (RA) — can significantly lowers breathing interruptions during sleep, a key indicator of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity.

“This study marks a significant milestone in the treatment of OSA, offering a promising new therapeutic option that addresses both respiratory and metabolic complications,” said study leader Dr Atul Malhotra, director of sleep medicine at University of California (UC) San Diego Health.

As part of the Eli Lilly-funded study, Dr Malhotra’s team conducted two phase 3 trials involving 469 adults with moderate to severe OSA and obesity recruited from nine countries.