First-Time Prescribing of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists from 2018-2023: A Descriptive Analysis

AimsLimited recent data exist on prescribing patterns and patient characteristics for glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), an important drug class for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and/or overweight or obesity. We describe trends in first-time prescribing of GLP-1 RAs. Materials and MethodsUsing aggregated US electronic health record data, we identified first-time prescriptions of GLP-1 RAs between January 2018 and June 2023 for adults receiving regular care. We describe prescribing volumes stratified by patient characteristics, specific drug, and FDA-labelled indication. The 5.5-year analysis period was divided into six-month periods. ResultsIn total, 274,562 patients were newly prescribed a GLP-1 RA, with a significant increase over time (January to June, 2018: 9,642 versus 2023: 66,569; p < 0.001). Overall, 181,860 (66.2%) patients had T2D and 229,715 (83.7%) had obesity or overweight. The proportion with T2D decreased over time (January through June, 2018: 84.1% versus 2023: 49%; p < 0.001), while the proportion with overweight or obesity increased (January through June, 2018: 75.9% versus 2023: 90.7%; p <.001). Of prescriptions with a known FDA-labelled indication (74.2%), 87% were labelled for T2D and 13% were labelled for overweight or obesity. Patients first prescribed a GLP-1 RA labelled for T2D were 59.1% female with a mean (SD) age of 58.6 (13) years, while those prescribed a GLP-1 RA labelled for overweight or obesity were 82.9% female, with a mean (SD) age of 48.2 (12.2) years. ConclusionsWe observed an increase in first-time prescribing of GLP-1 RAs overall, and a shift away from a predominately T2D population.