Via practica 2/2017

Relative safety of new obesity drugs: latest evidence and patient management

Obesity is frequently occurring chronic disease caused by multiple factors and associated with severe comorbidities. Lifestyle modifications (diet, physical activity) and behavioral therapy should always be first, preventive and therapeutic approaches. At the opposite end of the therapeutic continuum stands bariatric/metabolic surgery. Therapeutic gap between those approaches could change the anti-obesity drug therapy. Anti-obesity drug market situation is finally changing. At present in the US for long-term chronic treatment of obesity FDA approved five drugs: orlistat, lorcaserin, phentermine/topiramate ER, naltrexone SR/bupropion SR and liraglutide 3.0 mg. In the EU, we have currently three approved drugs for chronic treatment of obesity: orlistat, a combination naltrexon SR/bupropion SR and liraglutide 3.0 mg. The future belongs to such anti-obesity therapeutic strategy (monotherapy or combination therapy), which will be equally effective in achieving and maintaining weight loss as a bariatric/metabolic surgery, will be safe with a minimum of adverse events and at the same time will lead not only to influence cardiometabolic risk factors, but also to decrease cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: efficacy and safety anti-obesity therapy, orlistat, naltrexone SR/bupropion SR, liraglutide 3.0 mg