First, the names: Ozempic and Wegovy are semaglutide; Mounjaro and Zepbound are tirzepatide. They are injectable weight-loss drugs (GLP-1 / GIP) — and the big question is whether losing weight with them treats obstructive sleep apnea. The short answer is yes, but only in a specific way and for specific people.

The short answer

·Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) is the first and only medicine approved (FDA, December 2024) for moderate-to-severe sleep apnea — only in adults with obesity.
·Ozempic / semaglutide is NOT approved for apnea (it can still help by reducing weight).
·They work indirectly: losing weight reduces the fat that narrows the airway.
·They do not cure every apnea: the anatomy (palate, tongue, nose) does not disappear, so many people still need CPAP, an oral appliance or surgery.

What the evidence shows

The landmark trial is SURMOUNT-OSA (two phase-3 trials, 469 adults with moderate-to-severe apnea and obesity, 52 weeks). Tirzepatide cut the apnea-hypopnea index by about 25 to 29 fewer events per hour, against roughly 5 with placebo — about five times more effect — alongside an average 18-20% body-weight loss and improvements in blood pressure and inflammation. On that evidence the FDA approved tirzepatide (Zepbound) in December 2024 as the first medicine for this condition.

Semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) does not have a dedicated apnea trial. The evidence for it is indirect: in a large cardiovascular study, people on semaglutide developed fewer new cases of sleep apnea than those on placebo. Useful as a signal, but not the same as a treatment approval.

Who it suits — and who it does not

Makes sense if…

Your apnea coexists with obesity and is worsened by weight.
You want to lower the apnea and the cardiometabolic risk at the same time.
As part of a plan: it can be combined with CPAP or an oral appliance.

Limited or not indicated if…

You are not overweight and your apnea is anatomical (palate, tongue, nose, jaw).
It is central (not obstructive) sleep apnea.
You expect it to replace the sleep study or the airway treatment — it does not.

A team decision: who handles what

These are prescription drugs that need medical control — they are not bought online. The drug and the weight management belong to endocrinology / obesity medicine: at HM Hospitales, Dr. Blanca Martínez Barbeito. The ENT and sleep surgeon, Dr. Méndez-Benegassi, assesses and treats the airway itself (CPAP, oral appliance or surgery) and confirms the result with a sleep study. Together — losing the weight and clearing the airway — is what gives the best, safest result.

Honest note: the OSA-specific approval (tirzepatide) is from the US FDA. In Spain these drugs are used for obesity and diabetes, and the benefit on apnea comes through weight loss. There are gastrointestinal side effects, and weight — and the apnea — can return if the drug is stopped without a plan.

References: Malhotra et al., SURMOUNT-OSA — Tirzepatide for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity (New England Journal of Medicine, 2024); U.S. FDA, approval of Zepbound (tirzepatide) for moderate-to-severe OSA in adults with obesity (December 2024); semaglutide and incident sleep apnea — post-hoc analysis of the SELECT trial (Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 2026).

Wondering whether a weight-loss drug fits your apnea? The starting point is a proper diagnosis of your airway and your weight.

Assess my risk CPAP vs appliance vs surgery See the specialist

Frequently asked questions

Does Ozempic cure sleep apnea?

Not directly, and "cure" is the wrong word. Ozempic (semaglutide) is a weight-loss drug that can improve apnea indirectly by reducing the fat around the airway, but it is not approved for sleep apnea and has not been tested in a dedicated apnea trial. The drug with both the trial and the approval for OSA is tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound), and only in adults with obesity.

Mounjaro vs Ozempic for apnea — what is the difference?

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) is the first and only medicine FDA-approved (December 2024) for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity, based on the SURMOUNT-OSA trial. Semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) is not approved for apnea; the evidence for it is indirect (observational), through weight loss. Both work by reducing weight, not by acting on the airway.

Can I stop using CPAP if I take tirzepatide?

You should not assume so. In the trial many patients improved a lot, but the decision to reduce or stop CPAP must be based on a repeat sleep study showing your apnea is controlled — not on the weight alone. Weight loss does not remove an anatomical cause (palate, tongue base, nose), so a number of patients still need CPAP, an oral appliance or surgery.

Does it work if I am slim / not overweight?

It is much less likely to help. These drugs treat apnea through weight loss, so they make most sense when the apnea is linked to obesity. If your apnea comes mainly from the anatomy of the airway and you are not overweight, the priority is to treat that airway, not to take a weight-loss drug.

Who prescribes it and how is it managed?

It is a prescription medicine that must be prescribed and monitored by a doctor — the drug and the weight management are handled by endocrinology/obesity medicine; at HM Hospitales, Dr. Blanca Martínez Barbeito. The ENT and sleep surgeon (Dr. Méndez-Benegassi) assesses and treats the airway (CPAP, oral appliance or surgery) and confirms the result with a sleep study. It is a team decision, not something to buy without medical control.

Does Ozempic or Mounjaro work for sleep apnea?