GLP-1 Medication Use for Type 2 Diabetes Has Soared (PDF)

News & Analysis JAMA Data Brief GLP-1 Medication Use for Type 2 Diabetes Has Soared Thomas A. Hegland, PhD; Zhengyi Fang, MS; Karen Bucher, MA A bout 1 in 5 US adults with type 2 diabetes we...

News & Analysis JAMA Data Brief GLP-1 Medication Use for Type 2 Diabetes Has Soared Thomas A. Hegland, PhD; Zhengyi Fang, MS; Karen Bucher, MA A bout 1 in 5 US adults with type 2 diabetes were already using tions than adults with diabetes who did not have obesity—possibly the popular class of medications called glucagon-like pep- related to the popularity of many GLP-1 medications for weight loss. tide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists by 2022, according to new data. Use among US adults with type 2 diabetes rose to 19.4% that Percentage of US adults with type 2 diabetes who used year, per data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) GLP-1 medications by subpopulations in 2022 Household Component, a household survey sponsored by the Adults in certain subgroups were more likely to use one of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Among the medications, especially those with both diabetes and obesity. 26.2 million adults who received type 2 diabetes treatment in 2022, 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% the most recent year for which MEPS data are available, 5.1 million Overall obtained a GLP-1 medication—dulaglutide, exenatide, liraglutide, Female Male semaglutide, or tirzepatide. Many of them—41.2%—initiated the Age 18-49 y treatment that year. The average annual expenditure on GLP-1 drugs Age 50-64 y for the adults with type 2 diabetes who used them in 2022 totaled Age ≥65 y $6684 per person. Asian These data highlight the increasing importance of GLP-1 medi- Black Hispanic cations for type 2 diabetes treatment, with the share of adults with White diabetes who used GLP-1 drugs nearly doubling between 2019 and