Hormonal
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) significantly reduce AHI and body weight in patients with obesity and moderate-to-severe OSA, with tirzepatide showing superior efficacy compared to other GLP-1 RAs.
If you have obesity and moderate-to-severe sleep apnea, ask your doctor about GLP-1 receptor agonists like tirzepatide (Zepbound). These medications help with weight loss and have been shown to significantly reduce the severity of sleep apnea. They are taken as a weekly injection and can have gastrointestinal side effects, but these often improve over time. This treatment is particularly beneficial for those whose OSA is driven by obesity.
In studies involving OSA, tirzepatide led to substantial body weight reductions (17.7–19.6%) and pronounced decreases in AHI (−20 to −23.8 events/hour) among obese patients with moderate-to-severe OSA [133].
Why this rating
Based on randomized controlled trials (SURMOUNT-OSA) and meta-analyses.
Source
Advancing Obstructive Sleep Apnea Management: Recent Trends from Conventional to Innovative Therapies
Soo Kyoung Park et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine · 2025
DOI 10.3390/jcm14217586
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