Exit interviews with 86 SURMOUNT-4 trial participants revealed that most experienced benefits beyond weight loss including improved appetite control and energy, found the injection pen easy to use, and were willing to continue treatment despite gastrointestinal side effects.
100% reported at least one perceived benefitAll 86 interviewed SURMOUNT-4 participants experienced benefits including appetite control, energy, and improved clothing fit
What the researchers found
All 86 participants reported at least one perceived benefit of tirzepatide during the SURMOUNT-4 open-label phase, with the most commonly mentioned being improved appetite control, increased energy, and improved clothing fit.
Despite gastrointestinal side effects being common, participants generally valued the efficacy of tirzepatide enough to tolerate them. The single-use injection pen device was rated as easy to use. Most participants expressed willingness to continue tirzepatide treatment. Participants reported wide-ranging life improvements beyond direct pharmacological effects, suggesting the drug's impact extends beyond weight loss alone.
Why it matters
Clinical trials typically report numbers — weight lost, side effects, lab values. This study captures what those numbers mean to real people. Understanding patient experience is crucial because even effective medications fail if people won't take them. The finding that participants valued tirzepatide's benefits enough to tolerate side effects and wanted to continue treatment provides real-world insight that complements the clinical data and helps set expectations for patients starting the medication.
How the study worked
Qualitative study using semi-structured online exit interviews with 86 adults from 16 US-based SURMOUNT-4 clinical trial sites. Interviews covered experiences with receiving tirzepatide, using the injection pen device, and overall trial experience. Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed using content analysis methodology. Participants were recruited after completing their participation in the SURMOUNT-4 randomized withdrawal trial.
What this study cannot tell us
Selection bias is a significant concern — participants who had more positive experiences were likely more inclined to participate in exit interviews. The study population was 83% female and entirely US-based, limiting generalizability. All participants had been in the open-label phase first, so they knew they were receiving active drug. The qualitative methodology cannot quantify the magnitude of benefits or systematically compare to placebo experiences.
How to read the evidence
This is a qualitative interview study providing patient-reported experience data. While valuable for understanding how patients perceive treatment, it cannot measure efficacy objectively and is subject to selection bias (respondents more likely to have positive views). The evidence is complementary to, not a substitute for, the quantitative SURMOUNT-4 trial results.
When this study was published
Published in 2025 based on the SURMOUNT-4 trial, this is very recent and directly relevant to the current clinical use of tirzepatide (Zepbound) for weight management, approved by the FDA in 2023.
The bigger picture
As GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists like tirzepatide become mainstream weight management treatments, understanding patient experience becomes increasingly important for healthcare systems, prescribers, and the millions of potential patients. This qualitative data from SURMOUNT-4 adds a human dimension to one of the landmark obesity trials and helps inform realistic expectations about living with these medications long-term.
Questions still open
- How do the experiences of patients who discontinue tirzepatide differ from those willing to continue?
- Do patient-reported quality of life improvements persist long-term with continued treatment?
- How do patient experiences with tirzepatide compare to those with semaglutide or other GLP-1 agonists?
Common questions
What benefits did people report from taking tirzepatide besides weight loss?
Were the side effects bad enough to make people want to stop?
Read the original research
Patient Experience of Treatment with Tirzepatide for Weight Management: Exit Interviews from SURMOUNT-4.
The patient, 18(3), 225-236
Citation
Carmichael, Chloe; Jouravskaya, Irina; Collins, Elizabeth; Burns, Danielle; Poon, Jiat Ling; Kitchen, Helen; Mojdami, Donna; Murphy, Madhumita; Ahmad, Nadia; Kanu, Chisom. (2025). Patient Experience of Treatment with Tirzepatide for Weight Management: Exit Interviews from SURMOUNT-4.. The patient, 18(3), 225-236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40271-025-00730-0