Bariatric surgery helps many people lose weight, but new research shows that a growing number of these patients later take weight-loss drugs like semaglutide (Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Zepbound).
A study led by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health looked at health records from more than 112,000 people who had bariatric surgery between 2015 and 2023. It found that 14% of them used GLP-1 drugs within 2 to 10 years after surgery.
Patients were more likely to use the drugs if they had more severe obesity or diabetes before surgery, were women, had a type of surgery called sleeve gastrectomy, or didn’t lose much weight afterward.
These drugs are part of a newer class of treatments called GLP-1 receptor agonists. Although they were first used for diabetes, they’re now widely prescribed for weight loss. As more powerful versions became available in recent years, their use has grown.
Bariatric surgery is still one of the most effective treatments for severe obesity, but up to 30% of patients don’t lose enough weight or gain it back. For those people, adding a GLP-1 drug may help. In fact, the combination of surgery plus drug treatment may become a common approach in the future.
The researchers say more studies are needed to understand when it’s best to prescribe these drugs after surgery—and for which patients.
The study is published in JAMA Surgery.
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