Mounjaro or a GLP-1-only medicine: appointment sheet

Your starting point

Head-to-head and label facts

• In SURPASS-2, each tirzepatide dose (5, 10, 15 mg) lowered HbA1c by 0.15 to 0.45 percentage points more than semaglutide 1 mg over 40 weeks.[1]
• In the same trial, weight fell 1.9 to 5.5 kg more with tirzepatide than with semaglutide 1 mg.[1]
• Nausea was reported by 17 to 22% of tirzepatide participants and 18% of semaglutide participants.[1]
• Since August 27, 2026, the US Mounjaro label includes reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes at high risk.[2]
• That indication rests on SURPASS-CVOT: 13,299 adults with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, Mounjaro (up to 15 mg) versus dulaglutide 1.5 mg, non-inferior over a median 210.1 weeks.[3]
• Mounjaro must not be used with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2.[3]

Questions to ask

1. Which matters most for me right now: A1C, weight, or lowering heart risk?
2. Does the cardiovascular use on the Mounjaro label fit my history, and how does the evidence compare with my current drug's?
3. If I move from a GLP-1-only drug, which Mounjaro dose would I start on, and how fast would it go up?
4. Which brand does my plan cover for my diagnosis, and does it need prior authorization?
5. Which stomach or bowel symptoms should make me call during the first months?

Bring with you

• A list of every diabetes medicine, including insulin or a sulfonylurea
• Your last two A1C results
• Your weight history over the past year
• Notes on side effects from earlier GLP-1 treatment
• Your plan's drug formulary or coverage letter