Via practica 6/2024

Pharmacological management of the patients living with obesity before and after bariatric/metabolic surgery

Pharmacotherapy with anti-obesity drugs is currently only used in a very low percentage of patients with (pre)obesity. We use it very marginally in the treatment of recurrent obesity after bariatric/metabolic surgery. This is also due to the lack of evidence-based recommendations for initiation and monitoring of pharmacotherapy in patients with insufficient weight loss or weight regain after bariatric/ metabolic surgery. Most studies focusing on the utility of anti-obesity pharmacotherapy after bariatric/metabolic surgery are retrospective and small. We must wait for larger prospective randomized clinical trials that would demonstrate the effect of the combination of bariatric/metabolic surgery and pharmacotherapy with anti-obesity drugs in the prevention and treatment of weight regain.

Keywords: bariatric/metabolic surgery, liraglutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide, sleeve gastrectomy, weight loss, weight recurrence, weight regain