If evidence demonstrates equal effectiveness, providers favor CPAP, while patients lean toward tirzepatide
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, June 9, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Both continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and tirzepatide are acceptable treatments for comorbid obesity and obstructive sleep apnea (COBOSA), with providers favoring CPAP and patients preferring tirzepatide, according to a study presented at SLEEP 2025, the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, held from June 8 to 11 in Seattle.
Ahmed Khalaf, from the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues examined patient and provider attitudes toward use of CPAP and tirzepatide for COBOSA using an online survey. The survey was distributed to 17 sleep medicine providers and about 6,500 patients aged 21 years or older seen at a sleep clinic in the preceding two years.
Seventeen providers and 365 patients responded to the survey. The researchers found that 53 percent of patients had COBOSA; 23 percent had current/past use of tirzepatide and/or semaglutide, and 78 percent had current/past use of CPAP. The researchers found that more than 75 percent of patients and providers reported that CPAP and tirzepatide were somewhat/very acceptable. Similar acceptability was reported by patients for both therapies, while for CPAP, providers were more accepting than patients (88 versus 59 percent reported CPAP as very acceptable). If evidence demonstrated equal effectiveness, patients leaned toward tirzepatide (48 versus 35 percent), while providers favored CPAP (53 versus 26 percent). Combination therapy was supported by both groups, but patients were less enthusiastic (61 versus 88 percent).
“Understanding these differences is critical for shared decision-making throughout the care plan, which may ultimately impact adherence and treatment success,” Khalaf said in a statement.
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