The use of powerful GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic, and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound and Mounjaro, is reshaping healthcare trends in the United States, as patients increasingly seek care for obesity-related conditions or use the medications to meet eligibility requirements for medical services.
An exclusive analysis by health data firm Truveta—based on hundreds of thousands of electronic patient records—revealed slight but measurable increases in diagnoses of sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease within 15 days of a patient receiving their first GLP-1 prescription. Between 2020 and 2024, diagnoses of:
- Type 2 diabetes rose from 32 to 42 per 1,000 patients,
- Sleep apnea increased from 8 to 11, and
- Cardiovascular disease climbed from 13 to 15.
The findings highlight how these drugs are driving early detection of health conditions that might otherwise go undiagnosed due to stigma surrounding obesity. Overweight patients often avoid preventive healthcare, but the success of GLP-1 medications is encouraging them to engage with doctors.
Dr. Rekha Kumar, an obesity medicine specialist, emphasized that patients are now feeling healthier and more confident about seeking care, reversing a trend of avoidance. Similarly, Dr. Courtney Younglove noted that GLP-1 prescriptions have prompted her to refer patients for long-overdue preventive screenings like pap smears and colonoscopies.
Expanding Access to Medical Procedures
Beyond health diagnoses, GLP-1 drugs are helping patients qualify for medical treatments previously inaccessible due to weight restrictions. Examples include:
- Joint replacements
- Fertility treatments
- Organ transplants
At University of Chicago Medicine, a weight-loss clinic is using GLP-1 medications to help organ transplant candidates meet eligibility criteria. Clinical pharmacist specialist Anesia Reticker explained that prior to this program, patients deemed overweight were simply told to lose weight on their own.
Bensabio Guajardo, a retired steelworker from Indiana, is a success story of this approach. After being prescribed Ozempic for weight loss, he shed 90 pounds, enabling him to undergo a life-saving double lung transplant for pulmonary fibrosis.
Read More: Pfizer Revives Its Weight-Loss Medication
Economic and Healthcare Implications
The impact of GLP-1 drugs on healthcare spending is still unclear. Andrew Friedson, health economics director at the Milken Institute, suggests that while increased diagnoses may lead to higher upfront costs, early detection could lower long-term expenses by preventing severe health outcomes.
Companies like ResMed, which manufactures sleep apnea devices, are already seeing revenue growth linked to increased diagnoses spurred by GLP-1 use. Analysts predict further growth as more patients qualify for procedures like joint replacements.
Sara Stahl from AlphaSense believes this trend will expand, noting that as patients’ BMIs drop, they will become eligible for previously inaccessible surgeries.
Patient Empowerment
For many individuals, GLP-1 medications are a gateway to overall wellness and healthcare advocacy. Phil, a 43-year-old Chicago resident, said his weight-loss success gave him the “courage to ask” his doctor for help with other issues, including addiction and mental health.
GLP-1 drugs are not just driving weight loss—they’re reshaping how patients engage with the healthcare system, increasing diagnoses, improving access to treatment, and transforming lives. The ripple effects of this trend could redefine obesity care and preventive health for millions of Americans.
