2011 to 2023 Saw Increase in New GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Prescriptions

MONDAY, July 22, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- From 2011 to 2023, there was an increase in new glucagon like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) prescriptions, according to a research letter published online July 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Yee Hui Yeo, M.D., from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and colleagues examined nationwide trends in GLP-1RA prescription patterns, stratified by indications, using data from a federated health research network with deidentified records of about 45 million persons.

The researchers found that the 1 million new GLP-1RA users were disproportionately female, non-Hispanic White, and those with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥30 kg/m². Age- and sex-standardized incidence of new GLP-1RA use increased during 2011 to 2023, especially after 2020. When categorized by indication, the proportion of new GLP-1RA users with type 2 diabetes decreased. However, a twofold increase was seen in the proportion of users without type 2 diabetes, but with a BMI of ≥30 kg/m², or those with a BMI of 27 to 30 kg/m² and an obesity-related comorbid condition during the same period. From 2019 to 2023, the proportion of users without U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved indications increased from 0.21 to 0.37 percent. In 2019, semaglutide and liraglutide accounted for 31.4 and 35.3 percent of all new GLP-1RA prescriptions, while these proportions were 88.1 and 10.3 percent, respectively, in 2023.

"We revealed rising trends in prescribing GLP-1RAs, particularly among users with obesity," the authors write. "These findings call for strategies to address the growing demand and ensure equitable access to GLP-1RAs."

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