- In partnership with Reuters, Truveta Research explored the percentage of patients who received a first-time diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or sleep apnea within 15 days of their first-time GLP-1 prescriptions.
- Truveta Research found that for every 1,000 patients with a first-time GLP-1 prescription, 42 were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within 15 days in 2024, up from 32 in 2020. Over the same period, the number of sleep apnea diagnoses per 1,000 patients rose to 11 from 8 and the number of cardiovascular disease diagnoses increased to 15 from 13.
- The study also found that the likelihood of receiving a first-time diagnosis of T2D or sleep apnea within 15 days of initiating GLP-1 RAs increased with higher overweight/obesity classes. For instance, individuals with Class 3 obesity were 2.1 times more likely to receive a first-time T2D diagnosis and 3.2 times more likely to receive a sleep apnea diagnosis compared to those with overweight.
The rise of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) drugs has transformed the healthcare landscape, capturing widespread attention and adoption. According to a recent KFF Health Tracking Poll, one in eight adults in the U.S. has taken a GLP-1 RA medication (Montero et al., 2024), highlighting their remarkable popularity. Our team has also shown increased GLP-1 RA prescribing (Gratzl et al., 2024). Originally developed for managing type 2 diabetes, these medications have expanded their indications to include obesity and cardiovascular disease, broadening their appeal and utility (U.S. Food & Drug Administration, 2019, 2023, 2024). Further, recent results have shown one GLP-1 RA may reduce the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (Malhotra et al., 2024). This rapid expansion underscores the growing role GLP-1 RAs play in addressing complex health issues.
