Popular weight loss medications like Wegovy and Zepbound are increasing healthcare usage in the US, leading to more patients being diagnosed with other conditions, such as sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. An analysis by health data firm Truveta found that for every 1,000 patients prescribed a GLP-1 weight loss medication in 2024, 42 were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within 15 days.
The trend is attributed to stigma and bias patients often face when seeking medical care due to their weight. Once patients overcome this barrier, they also receive diagnoses for other obesity-related conditions. For example, sleep apnea diagnoses rose from 8 per 1,000 in 2020 to 11 in 2024, while cardiovascular disease diagnoses increased from 13 to 15.
Medical device maker ResMed attributed its revenue growth to the increasing use of GLP-1 drugs, with CEO Michael Farrell stating that these medications are “bringing people into primary care like never before.” The surge in demand for GLP-1 medications has made Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly the largest pharmaceutical companies globally.
Source: https://qz.com/ozempic-glp-1-medical-care-diagnoses-1851722868