For the technically minded

Tirzepatide is a prescription-only medication

The efficacy of tirzepatide for chronic weight management (weight reduction and maintenance) in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity was established in two randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition. 

These studies measured weight reduction after 72 weeks in a total of 2,519 participants who received either 5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg of tirzepatide once weekly with 958 participants who received once-weekly placebo injections. 

In both trials, after 72 weeks of treatment, participants who received tirzepatide at all three dose levels experienced a statistically significant reduction in body weight compared to those who received placebo, and greater proportions of participants who received tirzepatide achieved at least 5% weight reduction compared to placebo.

Meta-analysis

A 2021 meta-analysis showed that over one year of clinical use, tirzepatide was observed to be superior to dulaglutide, semaglutide, degludec, and insulin glargine with regards to glycemic efficacy and obesity reduction.

In a phase III double-blind, randomized, controlled trial supported by Eli Lilly, nondiabetic adults with a body mass index of 30 or more, or 27 or more and at least one weight-related complication, excluding diabetes, were randomized to receive once-weekly, subcutaneous tirzepatide (5 mg, 10 mg, or 15 mg) or placebo. The mean percentage change in weight at week 72 was −15.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], −15.9 to −14.2) with 5-mg weekly doses of tirzepatide, −19.5% (95% CI, −20.4 to −18.5) with 10-mg doses, and −20.9% (95% CI, −21.8 to −19.9) with 15-mg doses. Weight change in the placebo group was −3.1% (95% CI, −4.3 to −1.9).

Medical uses

Tirzepatide is indicated to improve blood-sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, as an addition to diet and exercise.

Tirzepatide is also indicated as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management.

Contraindications

Tirzepatide should not be used in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or in people with multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2.

Adverse effects

Preclinical, phase I, and phase II clinical trials indicated that tirzepatide exhibits adverse effects similar to those of other established GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as dulaglutide. These effects occur largely within the gastrointestinal tract. The most frequently observed are nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, which increased in incidence with the dosage amount (i.e. higher likelihood the higher the dose). The number of patients who discontinued taking tirzepatide also increased as dosage increased, with patients taking 15 mg having a 25% discontinuation rate vs 5.1% for 5 mg patients and 11.1% for dulaglutide. To a slightly lesser extent, patients also reported reduced appetite.Other side effects reported were dyspepsia, constipation, abdominal pain, dizziness, and hypoglycaemia. (Thank you to wikipedia for the summary)