AHI (apnea-hypopnea index)
What a GLP-1 receptor agonist actually does: which receptors it reaches, how it slows gastric emptying, and the satiety pathway it runs through.
What is AHI (apnea-hypopnea index)?
Apnea-hypopnea index: breathing pauses of ten seconds or more, plus partial reductions with oxygen desaturation, counted per hour of sleep.
5–14 is mild obstructive sleep apnea, 15–29 moderate, 30 or more severe. SURMOUNT-OSA used it as the primary endpoint: on the maximum tolerated tirzepatide dose (10 or 15 mg) it fell about 20 and 24 events an hour more than on placebo in the two trials.
Related reading: SURMOUNT-OSA: Tirzepatide for Sleep Apnea
GLP Watchdog writes these definitions from FDA labels and peer-reviewed PubMed literature.
Where AHI (apnea-hypopnea index) comes up on this site
On GLP Watchdog, AHI comes up in 5 research articles.
Research that discusses it
- Does Alaska Medicaid Cover Wegovy or Zepbound? Heart, Liver and Sleep Apnea Rules
- Does Montana Medicaid Cover Wegovy or Zepbound? Heart, MASH and Sleep Apnea Rules
- Does Vermont Medicaid Cover Wegovy or Zepbound? Heart, MASH and Sleep Apnea Only
- Does Wyoming Medicaid Cover Wegovy or Zepbound? The Sleep Apnea, MASH and Heart Routes
- West Virginia Medicaid and Wegovy or Zepbound: The Heart, Liver and Sleep Apnea Routes
Connected terms
Other terms under Mechanism
- GLP-1 receptor
- GIP receptor
- Dual agonist
- Gastric emptying
- Food noise
- Triple agonist
- Amylin
- GLP-1 tachyphylaxis
- Non-peptide GLP-1 agonist
- A1C (glycated hemoglobin)
- MASH / MASLD
- TBWL (Total Body Weight Loss)
- C-peptide
- eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate)
- Visceral adipose tissue (VAT)
- SNAC (oral semaglutide absorption enhancer)
Where the evidence lives
- The full GLP-1 glossary (150 terms, 8 categories)
- Research articles — written from primary sources
- Tools and calculators
- Compare GLP-1 telehealth providers