Sleep medicineFeb 20, 2025

Effectiveness and safety of GLP-1 receptor drugs for treating obstructive sleep apnea in people without diabetes

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment reduced the apnea-hypopnea index by 16.6 events per hour compared to placebo.

Three randomized controlled trials were analyzed to evaluate the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea and elevated body weight.
Pooled results indicated a significant reduction in the severity of obstructive sleep apnea as measured by the apnea-hypopnea index.
GLP-1 receptor agonists were associated with a higher frequency of adverse events compared to placebo.
The odds of experiencing adverse events increased with GLP-1 RA treatment, suggesting a potential risk for users.
Further long-term studies are needed to better understand the benefits and safety of GLP-1 receptor agonists in managing obstructive sleep apnea.

Simplified

INTRODUCTION: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder that disrupts breathing during sleep. While continuous positive airway pressure therapy is the standard treatment, poor adherence has led to exploration of alternative treatments. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have been shown to reduce body weight and may help manage OSA. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of GLP-1 RAs in individuals with OSA and elevated body weight who are without diabetes.

METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in September 2024 across multiple databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating GLP-1 RAs for OSA in adults with a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/mwere included. The primary outcomes were changes in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and overall adverse events. Meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model. 2

RESULTS: Three RCTs were included in the analysis. Pooled results showed that GLP-1 RA treatment significantly reduced AHI compared to placebo, with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of -16.6 events per hour (95 % confidence interval [CI]: -27.9 to -5.3). However, GLP-1 RAs were associated with a higher frequency of adverse events, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.62 (95 % CI: 1.16 to 2.24) compared to placebo.

CONCLUSION: GLP-1 RAs effectively reduce OSA severity, offering a promising alternative for individuals with OSA and elevated body weight. However, the increased risk of side effects must be considered. Further long-term studies are needed to confirm the sustained benefits and safety of GLP-1 RAs in OSA management.

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Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Effectiveness and safety of GLP-1 receptor drugs for treating obstructive sleep apnea in people without diabetes

Abstract

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