An Unexpected GLP-1 Side Effect: Engagement with Healthcare

One of the harms that weight stigma causes is the avoidance of medical care. But an unexpected side effect of GLP-1 therapy in persons with overweight or obesity may be increased engagement with healthcare. This insight comes from a new analysis of electronic health records for 711,783 persons.

As the use of these medicines for obesity has increased, researchers at Truveta found that new diagnoses of type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and cardiovascular disease increased.

Trends in First-Time Diagnoses

The researchers examined trends in first-time diagnoses for these complications of obesity between 2020 and 2024. They caution that these may not be especially large increases in diagnoses within 15 days of an initial prescription for a GLP-1 obesity medicine. For example, within 15 days of receiving a first-time prescription in 2024, for every thousand patients, there were 15 new new diagnoses of heart disease. For sleep apnea, the rate was 11 new diagnoses per thousand patients. The number of new diagnoses was largest for diabetes, 42 per thousand.

We note that these are preliminary findings from observational research, not yet peer reviewed. They will spark many new questions.

A Catalyst?

The authors of this report are Brianna Cartwright, Tricia Rodriguez, Duy Đỗ-Feisst, and Nick Stucky. They write:

This study provides new insights into the evolving role of GLP-1 RAs in healthcare, particularly how their use amongst people with overweight or obesity coincides with first-time diagnoses of type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and cardiovascular disease. The results here highlight the role of GLP-1 RAs may play as a catalyst for earlier diagnosis and intervention in metabolic and related conditions.

Obesity medicine physician Rekha Kumar concurs, saying:

“This is a population that previously felt stigmatized by health care providers and often didn’t return. But now that they’re actually seeing themselves get healthier, asking clinicians questions and engaging more, I do think we’re seeing new patients.”

Prior research tells us that people living with obesity avoid healthcare and receive less preventive care. They are often denied care (e.g. knee replacement) for which outcomes are worse when a patient has obesity. “Come back after you’ve lost some weight” is a phrase that many patients have heard all too often.

If indeed the advent of more effective obesity care with GLP-1 agonists brings more engagement with healthcare, this will be a welcome side effect.

Click here for reporting on this from Reuters and here for the study report.

Entrance of the Former Medical Facility in the Village of Čanište in North Macedonia, photograph by Kiril Simeonovski, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Subscribe by email to follow the accumulating evidence and observations that shape our view of health, obesity, and policy.

December 17, 2024