title: Physician perceptions of GLP-1 receptor agonists in the UK.
abstract: Objectives Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have been used to treat type 2 diabetes for almost a decade, and new treatments in this class have recently been introduced. The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of GLP-1 receptor agonists among physicians who treat patients with type 2 diabetes in the UK. Methods A total of 670 physicians (226 diabetes specialists; 444 general practice [GP] physicians) completed a survey in 2014. Results Almost all physicians had prescribed GLP-1 receptor agonists (95.4% total sample; 99.1% specialists; 93.5% GP), most frequently to patients whose glucose levels are not adequately controlled with oral medications (85.9% of physicians) and obese/overweight patients (83.7%). Physicians' most common reasons for prescribing a GLP-1 receptor agonist were: associated with weight loss (65.8%), good efficacy (55.7%), less hypoglycemia risk than insulin (55.2%), not associated with weight gain (34.5%), and better efficacy than oral medications (32.7%). Factors that most commonly cause hesitation when prescribing this class were: not considered first line therapy according to guidelines (56.9%), injectable administration (44.6%), cost (36.7%), gastrointestinal side effects (33.4%), and risk of pancreatitis (26.7%). Almost all specialists (99.1%) believed they had sufficient knowledge to prescribe a GLP-1 receptor agonist, compared with 76.1% of GPs. Conclusions Results highlight the widespread use of GLP-1 receptor agonists for treatment of type 2 diabetes in the UK. However, almost a quarter of GPs reported that they do not have enough knowledge to prescribe GLP-1s, suggesting a need for increased dissemination of information to targeted groups of physicians. Study limitations were that the generalizability of the clinician sample is unknown; survey questions required clinicians to select answers from multiple response options rather than generating the responses themselves; and responses to this survey conducted in 2014 do not reflect perceptions of the most recently introduced GLP-1 receptor agonists.
authors.affiliation: a Outcomes Research, Evidera , Bethesda , MD , USA ;
authors.forename: Louis S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Matza
authors.affiliation: b Eli Lilly and Company , Indianapolis , IN , USA ;
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.affiliation: a Outcomes Research, Evidera , Bethesda , MD , USA ;
authors.forename: Jessica B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.affiliation: c Eli Lilly and Company , Basingstoke , UK.
authors.forename: Omolara
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Adetunji
authors.affiliation: b Eli Lilly and Company , Indianapolis , IN , USA ;
authors.forename: Sherry A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: b Eli Lilly and Company , Indianapolis , IN , USA ;
authors.forename: Kristina S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Boye
mesh_terms: D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000139:chemically induced; D000097789:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D000097789:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists
keywords: GLP-1 receptor agonists; Inertia; Physician perceptions; Practice patterns; Type 2 diabetes