Weight Loss and Diabetes Drug Tirzepatide Shows Promise in Lowering Blood Pressure, Study Finds
A new study published on Monday has revealed that the weight loss and diabetes drug tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro and Zepbound, may have another benefit: lowering blood pressure. The study, published in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension, found that overweight and obese patients who took tirzepatide experienced significant reductions in their blood pressure.
According to the study, participants who took 10 milligram doses of tirzepatide saw the greatest reductions in systolic blood pressure, with a decrease of 10.6 points. Those on 15 milligram doses had an 8.0-point reduction, while participants on 5 milligram doses experienced a 7.4-point decrease. Systolic blood pressure measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats.
However, the researchers are unsure whether the drop in blood pressure was solely due to tirzepatide or if weight loss and diet changes also played a role. The study, which was funded by Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of tirzepatide, looked at 600 overweight or obese participants who took the drug for nine months. These participants had either normal blood pressure or high blood pressure that was under control and did not have type 2 diabetes.
The link between obesity and high blood pressure is well-established, with obesity accounting for a significant percentage of cases of primary hypertension. Therefore, the findings of this study are promising in terms of addressing both weight loss and hypertension in overweight and obese individuals.
Michael E. Hall, chair of the department of medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, expressed optimism about the results, stating, “Overall, these data are encouraging that novel weight loss medications are effective at reducing body weight, and they are also effective at improving many of the cardiometabolic complications of obesity including hypertension, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia, among others.”
While the study provides promising insights into the potential benefits of tirzepatide in lowering blood pressure, researchers believe that further studies are needed to understand its long-term effects on cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack. Additionally, it is important to determine what would happen to blood pressure if patients were to stop taking the drug.
Tirzepatide, originally approved for use in type 2 diabetes mitigation under the name Mounjaro, gained attention for its weight loss effects in a 2022 clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The trial found that weekly doses of tirzepatide led to weight loss in up to 22.5% of participants. As a result, the Food and Drug Administration approved tirzepatide for weight loss in November 2023, under the brand name Zepbound.
It is worth noting that Eli Lilly has generated $3 billion in global revenue from Mounjaro in 2023 alone. However, the list price of Mounjaro and other weight loss drugs reportedly increased in January, with Mounjaro’s price rising by 4.5% to $1,069.08 per monthly dose.
In conclusion, the study’s findings suggest that tirzepatide may be an effective option for overweight and obese individuals looking to manage their blood pressure. While further research is needed to fully understand its long-term effects, tirzepatide shows promise as a potential treatment for both weight loss and hypertension.
