Can Weight Loss Drugs Help Treat Sleep Apnea?

May 16, 2025

A person holding and preparing a medical injection pen

Sleep apnea is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder. It interrupts breathing when the throat muscles relax and block the airway. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the weight loss drug Zepbound (tirzepatide) as a treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnea in adults with obesity.

“The FDA approval is a major milestone for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, because it formally recognizes that obesity can be a root cause,” says Eric Yeh, MD, a sleep specialist and Director of Clinical Operations and Quality Improvement for Sleep Medicine at University Hospitals. “Unlike most therapies that treat symptoms, this medication treats a common cause of sleep apnea.”

How Weight Loss Helps Sleep Apnea

If you’re carrying too much weight, especially around your neck, it can interfere with your breathing while you sleep. “Weight loss medication is treating obesity, which has complications that contribute to sleep apnea – or cause it,” says Dr. Yeh.

“Reducing fat deposit and inflammation, specifically around your airway and neck area, can lessen the obstruction of the airway and improve oxygen levels,” he says. “This can lead to better sleep quality, as well as other benefits, like more daytime energy and improvements in blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and heart attack and stroke risks.”

What to Know About the New Drug

Improving sleep apnea isn’t as simple as just starting weight loss medication. The drug will help with weight loss, which can reduce the severity of sleep apnea when weight is a contributing factor.

As part of its recommendation, the FDA advises people with obesity to use the medication along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Exercise can help with weight management and keep your bones and muscles strong.

Will You Still Need Your CPAP?

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) devices have long been considered the gold standard in sleep apnea care, and they still are. Until now, CPAPs and alternative treatments, like hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HSN) surgical implants that help prevent the tongue from blocking the airway, have been used to manage symptoms of sleep apnea, rather than to address an underlying cause like obesity.

Dr. Yeh stresses that weight loss medications aren’t a quick fix for sleep apnea or its symptoms. “There's a huge time lag between weight loss and the improvement in sleep,” he says. “Which means you’ll still need your CPAP or other treatments until you lose enough weight that your symptoms stop being disruptive.”

“Even modest weight loss of 10 to 15 percent of your body weight can significantly reduce the severity of sleep apnea, even if it doesn’t resolve all of the symptoms,” says Dr. Yeh.

Who Might Benefit From This Treatment?

“Anyone with sleep apnea who is very overweight and wants help getting excess weight off is a great candidate,” says Dr. Yeh.

Since obesity is different from person to person, the drug’s effect on sleep apnea can vary. Some people carry more weight on their belly and others have more in their chest, shoulders and neck. “As far as sleep apnea goes, if you have a lot of fat tissue around your neck, you’re going to have the worst symptoms.” He adds these people may also be the most likely to benefit from treatment, because reducing the weight around the neck will help free the airway.

Side Effects and Limitations

Some people report anxiety and difficulty sleeping after starting weight loss medications. Dr. Yeh says such side effects tend to diminish over time. He also notes that if you stop following your sleep apnea treatment regimen after starting a weight loss drug, it could contribute to poor quality sleep.

“This drug is new and long-term data is still emerging, but it suggests that if you can keep the weight off, you’re more likely to continue seeing improvement in your sleep apnea and your cardiometabolic health,” says Dr. Yeh.

But affordability and accessibility are serious concerns. “Patients may not be able to stay on this medication forever,” says Dr. Yeh. Even if the medication is covered by insurance, costs can be significant, which is a major roadblock for many people.

Fortunately, jumpstarting weight loss can help motivate people to commit to healthier lifestyle choices. “If you successfully combine the weight loss drug with healthy lifestyle modifications, it’ll give you the best chance for long-term success.”