Many people think of snoring as just a noisy habit, but it could be a warning sign of something much more serious. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which impacts millions of Americans, is linked to higher rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, stroke, and workplace accidents and injuries. And for many people, it goes unrecognized for years.
For those diagnosed, CPAP is a lifesaving standard of care as it directly treats the airway obstruction. But OSA also has metabolic and weight-related factors, which is why the FDA approval of tirzepatide for moderate-to-severe OSA is so significant. Research found that GLP-1 receptor agonists reduces the severity of OSA, marking a new chapter is sleep disorder care.
Still, no single therapy is ever the sole answer. CPAP gave us much needed treatment for those with OSA, but not to reverse it. GLP-1s come closer to addressing the root causes, yet they are not a silver bullet. The real opportunity is connecting these tools with whole-person strategies by combining medical innovation with a proven behavior-change strategy. It’s more than how we treat sleep apnea: this is a preview of how chronic care will need to evolve.
Why this approval is a turning point
The FDA’s approval of tirzepatide for sleep apnea is a milestone: not the first added indication for this class, but one of the clearest signals yet that GLP-1s are moving far beyond “weight loss” and “diabetes management.” There’s a boom in what indications these medications will impact due to current FDA approvals and ongoing research on the treatment and prevention of multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart attacks and strokes, kidney disease, liver disease, sleep apnea, and more.
That makes sleep apnea more than a headline. It’s a bellwether. If each new approval is treated as a stand-alone fix, we risk repeating the cycle of fragmented care: celebrate the tool, over-rely on it, then watch outcomes erode. The smarter move is to use this moment to build integrated frameworks that make every new indication work harder, last longer, and deliver better outcomes.
What lasting care really looks like
GLP-1s will be life-changing for many people who struggle with OSA, but they still need the right support for sustainability. The right support at the right moments can assist with side effects, higher discontinuation rates, and prevent cycling on and off the prescription. Case in point: over half of people discontinue GLP-1s within a year.
That’s why people need more than a prescription — they need guidance. They need support through the beginning, middle, and end of their GLP-1 journey. Employers and health leaders have a unique opportunity to build that system now, the set the standard for how GLP-1s will be used across chronic care. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Takeaways for employers and health leaders
- Treat OSA as more than “snoring”. It’s linked to many chronic conditions and health risks. Routine screening and diagnosis in at-risk populations can save lives and costs.
- Strengthen GLP-1 support. GLP-1s can reduce sleep apnea severity, but the better strategy is to pair them with expert guidance, side-effect management, and ongoing behavioral support.
- Help people stay on treatment. Too many patients stop GLP-1 therapy within months. Dose titration, regular check-ins, and coaching improve adherence and reduce weight cycling.
- Know that this is just the beginning. Sleep apnea is just one condition with a GLP-1 indication — but there are many more on the horizon. Building integrated support now will prepare organizations for the wave of approvals still to come.
Bottom line: Sleep apnea is much more common than most people realize, quietly impacted the physical and mental health of every workforce. How employers respond to this new GLP-1 indication will set the tone for the next wave of chronic condition management. The real opportunity isn’t focusing on one condition or one medication. It’s creating a flexible, underlying system that makes the most of these medications. One that has ongoing tailored support, behavior change, and expert care. That’s how we move from short-term fixes to long-lasting health. And exactly why sleep apnea might turn out to be the wake-up call chronic care needed.
