Study summary · research use only
Anti-obesity drugs: a review about their effects and their safety
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This review examines the effects and safety of anti-obesity drugs, noting that amphetamines, rimonabant, and sibutramine licenses were withdrawn due to adverse effects, leaving orlistat as the only available long-term obesity treatment discussed. The authors describe orlistat's cardiovascular safety profile and positive effects on diabetic control, while noting it produces less weight reduction than rimonabant or sibutramine. The review discusses the GLP-1 receptor agonists exenatide and liraglutide, marketed for diabetes, as also suppressing appetite and reducing body weight, and mentions drugs under study including tesofensine, phentermine plus topiramate, bupropion plus naltrexone, and bupropion plus zonisamide, plus additional gut hormone-based obesity treatments under investigation in Phase II and III trials focused on ghrelin, peptide YY, pancreatic polypeptide, amylin, and oxyntomodulin.
Abstract
Amphetamines, rimonabant and sibutramine licenses as anti-obesity drugs have been withdrawn because of their adverse effects. In fact, orlistat is the only available long-term treatment for obesity. The efficacy and safety of long-term drug therapy is very important in the management obesity; for this reason, the authors decided to conduct a review on the efficacy and safety of current, past and future pharmacotherapies for weight loss. Orlistat is a good choice for the treatment of obesity, because of its safety on cardiovascular events and its positive effects on diabetic control, even if it is not as effective as rimonabant or sibutramine in reducing body weight. Regarding emerging anti-obesity therapies in diabetic people, we currently have drugs that have already been marketed including the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists exenatide and liraglutide; other than improving glycemic control, they also suppress appetite reducing body weight. Moreover, some other drugs are currently in study such as tesofensine, phentermine + topiramate, bupropion + naltrexone and bupropion + zonisamide. Furthermore, several additional gut hormone-based treatments for obesity are under investigation in Phase II and III clinical trials, with particular focus on ghrelin, peptide YY, pancreatic polypeptide, amylin and oxyntomodulin.
pepmg summarizes the peer-reviewed literature and links to every source — it sells nothing, ships nothing, and gives no medical, dosing, or human-use guidance. Don't just trust this summary: follow the citation to its source and read it yourself. Research use only.