Bajpai J, Saxena M, Agarwal U, Pradhan A. Dual incretin analogue tirzepitide - SURMOUNTing the challenge of obesity induced obstructive sleep apnea. World J Exp Med 2025; 15(4): 109762 [DOI: 10.5493/wjem.v15.i4.109762]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Akshyaya Pradhan, Department of Cardiology, King George’s Medical University, Shahmina Road, Chowk, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India. akshyaya33@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
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Minireviews
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Dec 20, 2025 (publication date) through Dec 19, 2025
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Publication Name
World Journal of Experimental Medicine
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2220-315x
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Bajpai J, Saxena M, Agarwal U, Pradhan A. Dual incretin analogue tirzepitide - SURMOUNTing the challenge of obesity induced obstructive sleep apnea. World J Exp Med 2025; 15(4): 109762 [DOI: 10.5493/wjem.v15.i4.109762]
Jyoti Bajpai, Department of Respiratory Medicine, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India
Mehul Saxena, Gandhi Memorial Hospital, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India
Utkarsh Agarwal, Faculty of Medical Sciences, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India
Akshyaya Pradhan, Department of Cardiology, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India
Author contributions: Bajpai J and Pradhan A conceived the project; Saxena M and Agarwal U performed the literature search and prepared the first draft; Bajpai J and Saxena M finalised the draft and prepared the revision; Pradhan A critically reviewed the first draft and submitted the final version; and all authors thoroughly reviewed and endorsed the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Akshyaya Pradhan, Department of Cardiology, King George’s Medical University, Shahmina Road, Chowk, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India. akshyaya33@gmail.com
Received: May 21, 2025 Revised: June 11, 2025 Accepted: October 11, 2025 Published online: December 20, 2025 Processing time: 212 Days and 12.3 Hours
Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent and underdiagnosed sleep disorder strongly associated with obesity. Traditional therapies such as continuous positive airway pressure are effective but often limited by poor adherence. Recent evidence suggests that tirzepatide, a dual glucagon like receptor-1 and glucose dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor agonist, may offer a pharmacologic approach to OSA management through its weight-reducing and metabolic effects. This narrative review was conducted using a structured search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases for English-language articles published up to May 2024. Keywords included “tirzepatide”, “obstructive sleep apnea”, “OSA”, and “GLP-1 agonist”. Clinical trials, systematic reviews, and relevant observational studies focusing on tirzepatide’s role in OSA or obesity were included and thematically analyzed. Emerging evidence from the SURMOUNT-OSA and related trials indicates that tirzepatide leads to clinically significant reductions in body weight, apnea-hypopnea index, and systemic inflammation. The drug was found to be effective and also showed additional benefits in sleep quality and cardiovascular risk factors. Tirzepatide represents a promising pharmacologic advancement in the management of obesity-related OSA. By targeting both metabolic and structural contributors to OSA, it may serve as an adjunct or alternative to traditional therapies. Further research is warranted to evaluate long-term outcomes and to define its role in clinical practice guidelines.
Core Tip: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious sleep disorder often caused by obesity. Standard treatments like continuous positive airway pressure can help, but many people struggle to use them long term. Tirzepatide, a new medication that targets both glucagon-like peptide-1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptors, offers a different approach. By helping with significant weight loss and improving breathing during sleep, tirzepatide has shown strong results in the SURMOUNT-OSA trial, making it the first approved drug to directly treat obesity-related OSA.
