On October 4, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine published an article titled “How weight loss medications are changing the sleep field,” featuring an interview with Raymond E. Bourey, MD, FAASM. Dr. Bourey has board certification, 25 years in sleep medicine, and is an Associate Professor of Medicine with WashU Medicine’s Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research.
As obesity rates rise, new medications for weight loss have shown promise in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and tirzepatide recently received FDA approval for use in moderate to severe OSA. Dr. Bourey has used GLP-1 receptor agonists as part of his treatment of OSA with diabetes since its first approval in 2006.
The article, produced by senior writer Kate Robards, discusses the history of weight loss medications, the link between obesity and sleep problems, emerging sleep apnea treatments, considerations for clinicians in the field, and the integration of sleep medicine and weight management.
In the interview, Dr. Bourey details three barriers to increasing interaction between sleep medicine service providers and endocrinology specialists, stating that “there is little interaction among specialty societies outside of research and little interest in the development of joint clinical guidelines.” Additionally, he mentions that “diabetes and obesity treatment centers cannot yet get accreditation to use home sleep apnea tests,” and despite the increasing need for endocrinologists, the United States has a shortage of them, which makes it difficult to serve millions of patients. Endocrinologists are “simply hard to find, let alone work with,” he adds.
It is evident that there is a long-term need to overcome these barriers and strengthen the partnership between sleep medicine professionals and endocrinologists. Dr. Bourey suggests that “80% of patients [with OSA] would benefit from care by both sleep medicine and metabolism,” and further states “If they are not doing it already, I encourage all my colleagues in sleep medicine to open up communication with the medical weight loss clinics and diabetes care centers.”
American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2024, October 4). How weight loss medications are changing the sleep field. https://aasm.org/how-weight-loss-medications-are-changing-the-sleep-field/