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In a post-hoc analysis of a trial that measured weight gain and cardiometabolic factors among participants who used tirzepatide for 36 weeks, researchers found that among participants with obesity who stopped tirzepatide, a large majority had regained much of their weight—and that majority also lost more of the cardiometabolic benefits compared to those who maintained their weight reduction. In other words, those who did not keep the weight off after stopping tirzepatide also lost the benefits of improved blood pressure, cholesterol, HbA1c, and more, as published in JAMA Internal Medicine. The 308 total participants received 10 or 15 mg doses during the treatment phase and were randomized 1:1 to either continue tirzepatide or switch to placebo for an additional 52 weeks in the analysis. Weight regain was categorized into 4 groups (<25%; 25%-<50%; 50%-<75%; and 75% or more weight regain). At week 88 at the end of the study, 82.5% (254) of participants who stopped tirzepatide regained 25% or more of the initial weight reduction that they had achieved, while 17.5% (54) of study participants regained less than 25%. Overall, by the end of the study, participants with 75%or more weight regain after tirzepatide withdrawal reversed cardiometabolic measures back to their baseline values. These findings suggest that tirzepatide requires a long-term regimen to realize long-term health benefits.
More commonplace: Starting this month, cash-paying patients with a valid prescription will pay about $50 less per month for tirzepatide purchased directly from the manufacturer after a recently announced price drop. As more providers begin to offer tirzepatide and other weight-loss drugs, urgent care clinicians are more likely to see patients using them long-term.