Real-world weight impact upon tirzepatide discontinuation at a single-center endocrinology clinic in patients with overweight or obesity.
Tirzepatide continues to make waves in obesity research, and a new real-world study just added fuel to the fire. Researchers at UNC Health Care tracked 83 adults with obesity or overweight who discontinued tirzepatide after nearly a year of use. The main reason for stopping? Not side effects—just cost and prescription access.
J Am Pharm Assoc (2003)
by Huang L, Lee A, Kim D et al.
“Real-world weight impact upon tirzepatide discontinuation at a single-center endocrinology clinic in patients with overweight or obesity. Huang L(1), Lee A(2), Kim D(2), Tungate S(2), Komé A(1), Yang A(3). Author information: (1)University of North Carolina Health Care, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. (2)University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. (3)University of North Carolina Health Care, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Electronic address: anita.yang2@unchealth.unc.edu. BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are major contributors to cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) disease. Tirzepatide (TZP-MJ), originally approved for type 2 diabetes (T2D), has demonstrated significant weight loss beyond glycemic improvement. Despite these benefits, real-world medication access barriers may lead to abrupt therapy discontinuation. Currently, there is a lack of real-world data of TZP-MJ discontinuation in outpatient settings. OBJECTIVES: To assess the real-world impact of TZP-MJ discontinuation on body weight in patients with overweight or obesity managed in an endocrinology and weight management clinic with clinical pharmacist support. METHODS: A 12-month, single-center retrospective study in adult patients with obesity or overweight with a weight-related comorbidity and active prescription for TZP-MJ from 5/13/2022-6/30/2023 for > 3 months prior to discontinuation. Primary outcome was percent change in body weight 12-months following TZP-MJ discontinuation. Secondary outcomes included rates of transitioning to alternate obesity medications (OMs). RESULTS: 83 patients met inclusion criteria and had remained on TZP-MJ for a mean of 11 months, achieving a mean body weight reduction of 6.7%. The most common reason for TZP-MJ discontinuation was due to medication access related due to cost (80.7%). At 12-months following TZP-MJ discontinuation, mean body weight change was not statistically significant (+1.9%, p=0.11). Most patients transitioned to alternative OMs (n=68; 81.9%) CONCLUSION: Although TZP-MJ is associated with meaningful weight loss, medication cost is a barrier to therapy continuation. In real-world practice, weight loss achieved on TZP-MJ may be sustained by transitioning to alternate OMs to mitigate potential rebound weight gain following discontinuation, demonstrating a critical role for clinical pharmacists. Published by Elsevier Inc.”
Here’s what matters: after stopping tirzepatide, patients kept most of their weight off. On average, they lost 6.7% of their body weight while on tirzepatide. Twelve months after stopping, there was a tiny average regain (+1.9%), but it wasn’t statistically significant. In short, no massive rebound.
A big detail: over 80% of these patients switched to other obesity management compounds after stopping tirzepatide. That likely helped maintain their results and avoid the typical yo-yo pattern seen in weight management.
Key takeaways for peptide researchers:
Tirzepatide delivers real, sustained weight loss in outpatient settings
Most patients can maintain progress by carefully transitioning to other compounds
Pharmacist support in clinics makes a measurable difference in outcomes
For anyone interested in weight management research, these findings offer a strong case for integrating tirzepatide with other strategies rather than treating it as a standalone solution. If you’re sourcing compounds for similar projects, check the tirzepatide page for background info and explore the vendor directory for sourcing options.
The bottom line: tirzepatide isn’t just a one-hit wonder. With smart management, its benefits hang around even after discontinuation—especially with the right backup plan.
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