Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Annals of Internal Medicine, ANNALS-24-02870. https://doi.org/10.7326/ANNALS-24-02870 Dr. John W. Ostrominski et al.
Points
- This population-based cohort study analyzed trends in insurance claims for glucose-lowering and weight-lowering medications (GLMs and WLMs) after the approval of tirzepatide, a dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist.
- The study found a significant increase in tirzepatide dispensations, with 12.3% of all GLM dispensations by December 2023, while sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists also saw increased use.
- Among adults without diabetes prescribed WLMs, tirzepatide dispensations rose dramatically from 0.0% to 40.6%, while semaglutide (2.4 mg) increased from 0.0% to 32.2%, though semaglutide (2.0 mg) remained the most frequently dispensed.
- Tirzepatide’s uptake was faster and more sustained than that of other GLMs and WLMs, indicating a significant shift in prescribing patterns and suggesting rapid adoption in clinical practice.
- The study’s results, showing the rapid adoption of tirzepatide, may not be fully generalizable to U.S. adults without commercial health insurance, highlighting potential limitations in the study’s scope.
Summary
This population-based cohort study analyzed trends in insurance claims for glucose-lowering medications (GLMs) and weight-lowering medications (WLMs) after the approval of tirzepatide, a dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist. The study used claims data from an extensive U.S. commercial database covering January 2021 to December 2023, focusing on adults aged 18 years and older with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and those without diabetes. The study compared trends in medication dispensations before and after tirzepatide’s market entry and assessed the uptake of tirzepatide compared to other GLMs and WLMs.
The results revealed a substantial increase in tirzepatide dispensations, particularly among adults with T2D prescribed GLMs. By December 2023, tirzepatide accounted for 12.3% of all GLM dispensations. Dispensations of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) also increased from 14.5% to 24.4%, and GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) rose from 19.5% to 28.5%. In contrast, dispensations for traditional GLMs like metformin declined. Among adults without diabetes prescribed WLMs, tirzepatide dramatically rose from 0.0% to 40.6%, while semaglutide (2.4 mg) also increased from 0.0% to 32.2%. However, semaglutide (2.0 mg) remained the most frequently dispensed WLM, growing from 37.8% to 45.7%. These patterns were similar among incident users.
Tirzepatide’s uptake was notably faster and more sustained than the initial postapproval uptake for other GLMs and WLMs. The study provides important insights into the rapid adoption of tirzepatide, highlighting a shift in prescribing patterns for GLMs and WLMs. However, the study’s results may not be fully generalizable to U.S. adults without commercial health insurance.
Link to the article: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-24-02870
References Ostrominski, J. W., Ortega-Montiel, J., Tesfaye, H., Alix, C., DiCesare, E., Cromer, S. J., Wexler, D. J., Paik, J. M., & Patorno, E. (2025). Trends in utilization of glucose- and weight-lowering medications after tirzepatide approval in the united states: A population-based cohort study. Annals of Internal Medicine, ANNALS-24-02870. https://doi.org/10.7326/ANNALS-24-02870
