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From 2010 to 2024, prescriptions for glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) increased substantially among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity, according to a research letter in JAMA Network Open, which examined electronic medical records of more than 300 million Americans. Rates rose from 2.4% to 34.3% among individuals with both T2D and obesity; from 0.6% to 13.7% in those with T2D only; and 0.04% to 7.1% in those with obesity only. The authors note that although GLP-1RAs are generally covered by insurance plans for T2D, coverage for obesity is limited. The authors also note that they examined prescriptions written, as opposed to prescriptions dispensed.
Possible presentations: Urgent care clinicians may see patients experiencing side effects of the drugs as prescriptions surge. About half of adults who use GLP-1RAs experience nausea, and about one-third experience diarrhea, according to RAND.