Newer obesity drugs linked to fewer alcohol-related hospitalizations for people with alcohol dependence
A study published in BMJ Open indicates that GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide are associated with a significant reduction in alcohol-related hospitalizations. The research suggests these obesity and diabetes medications may have therapeutic potential for treating alcohol use disorder.
Why it matters
This finding could lead to new clinical applications for popular weight-loss drugs, potentially addressing a major public health crisis related to alcohol dependency.
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Use of newer GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide or tirzepatide) for obesity or diabetes among people with alcohol use disorder was associated with a reduction in alcohol-related hospital admissions, according to a study published online in the open-access journal BMJ Open .
The findings suggest a potential role for the drugs semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) in the treatment of alcohol use disorder.
While GLP-1 receptor agonists are used primarily to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, there have been reports of reduced alcohol consumption among patients taking the drugs, prompting the authors to investigate the potential impact on alcohol-related hospitalizations among adults with alcohol use disorder.
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