Weight-Loss Drugs May Help Sleep Apnea and Arthritis

Researchers continue to document benefits of GLP-1 drugs beyond weight loss and diabetes. At the American Heart Association annual meeting in November and in new studies published in scientific journals, scientists at Eli Lilly reported that Foundayo (orforglipron), its GLP-1 pill recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), helped reduce the number of obstructive sleep apnea episodes people had. Another drug called retatrutide—an experimental weight-loss injection that the company is currently testing—helped ease pain caused by osteoarthritis in the knee.Foundayo and sleep apneaIn sleep apnea, people stop breathing for brief periods of time, depriving the body and brain of oxygen, which can drive up blood pressure, contribute to atrial fibrillation, place added burden on the heart, and even sometimes lead to stroke. Weight is one of the strongest risk factors for sleep apnea. Excess weight can restrict airways around the neck, throat, and chest, so losing weight can reduce the number of sleep apnea episodes.Though Foundayo is only approved for chronic weight management—not yet for obstructive sleep apnea—the data suggest it’s the third product from Lilly to ad...