Medical Directory 3.29.26 - Flipbook - Page 25
| Sunday, March 29, 2026
carries excess weight, it stores fat in
the liver. Losing weight can reverse
the incidence of fat in the liver.
Each drug is different and carries
different approvals from the Food
and Drug Administration, Richardson explains. While Zepbound is a
tirzepatide used to treat sleep apnea, Mounjaro, also a tirezepatide,
does not have approval for the same
use. Ozempic was also approved to
reduce the risk of major kidney disease progression in adults with type
2 diabetes.
“It all goes back to losing weight,”
Richardson says. “Carrying excess
fat increases your risk of health
conditions. Most people know that
the GLP-1s are indicated for weight
loss, but they actually can improve
metabolic disease that affects multiple organ systems, like the heart,
kidneys, [and] liver.”
In October 2024, the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Central
published a roundup of recent research studies that found advances
related to glucagon-like peptide-1
(GLP-1) use.
Several of the highlighted studies evaluated the use of GLP-1 for
patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea. The prevalence
of obstructive sleep apnea in patients who are considered obese
and have type 2 diabetes can be as
high as 86%. A study of obese patients with moderate or severe sleep
apnea who were given the GLP-1/
GIP combined drug tirzepatide were
found to have a reduction in the
severity of sleep apnea, with a reduction in sleep interruptions. Another study that evaluated the use
of tirzepatide for continued weight
reduction found a reduction in the
apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) – the
average number of breathing pauses and shallow breaths per hour of
sleep – of up to 56%.
GLP-1s have also been found
to provide cardioprotective effects
in patients with diabetes as well
as those who are not diabetic. One
study found the use of a semaglutide
(like Ozempic or Wegovy) reduced
the risk of death from non-fatal
myocardial infarction (heart attack)
or stroke by 20%. Weight loss, as a
result of GLP-1 use, also minimizes
the risk for cardiovascular events.
Long-term use of GLP-1 medications is also tied to reduced blood
pressure and improved blood flow
and thus better exchange of nutrients in the body. In addition, reduced blood pressure is conducive
to preventing blood clots and managing inflammation.
An article published in the International Journal of Molecular
Sciences in 2024 revealed positive
motor and cognitive function for
patients with moderate Parkinson’s
Disease results following several
studies of the use of GLP-1 medications for extended periods of time.
Studies are also underway evaluat-
ing their use for patients suffering
from Alzheimer’s disease with evidence suggesting they may protect brain cells, clear toxic amyloid
plaques, improve brain insulin sensitivity and slow cognitive decline,
according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
In addition, a study published in
the Journal of the Endocrine Society in November 2025 revealed that
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor
agonists (GLP-1RAs) are emerging
as new pharmacotherapies for alcohol and other substance abuse disorders (ASUD), based on the overlap of ASUDs and obesity.
While these medications are being studied – and sometimes lauded
– for having benefits beyond weight
loss or diabetic control, their use is
still based on the patient’s diagnosis
from their physician and ultimately
a decision of the insurance companies unless the patient pays in full.
The medications can be pricey, and
25
costs go up when a higher dosage
is needed after extended use.
“At the end of the day, the insurance is going to dictate if someone
can get it or not, and that’s a huge
limiting factor,” Richardson says.
“Plans can choose to just exclude
weight loss medications all together
… and that’s not uncommon. Employers can choose to exclude it.
They might include the GLP-1s that
are for diabetes, so like Ozempic
and Mounjaro, but exclude the ones
for weight loss, which is a roadblock.”
Some insurances may approve
the use of Wegovy only if the patient
has a significant history of cardiovascular disease, which amounts to
a prior heart attack or stroke, Richardson says.
“Maybe you have medical conditions that increase your risk for it,
but they want documented proof,”
she explains.
