Pharmacological Treatment

Pharmacological Treatment

Pharmacological Treatment²

Pharmacological treatment should be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy of the obesity disease management (diet and physical activity are prerequisites).

Individuals that could be eligible to receive a drug therapy are those with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 or a BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2 with an obesity-related disease (e.g. hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea)

The check point of 3 months is important, meaning that, if an individual, under drug therapy, has not achieved a weight reduction of >5%, within this period, then there is no advantage of continuing the pharmacotherapy and treatment should be discontinued. Especially, if the individual has type 2 diabetes, then the >3% weight loss is the target so as to evaluate if she/he is responding to the treatment or not.

 

Pharmacotherapy of obesity in Europe²

Drugs Status Mechanism Dosing Response
evaluation
For more information
please visit EMA website
Orlistat FDA & EMA approved pancreatic,
gastric
lipase inhibitor
120mg tid
60mg tid (OTC)
2.9-3.4%
1 year
See more for Orlistat OTC
See more for Orlistat Rx  
Bupropion/
Naltrexone
FDA & EMA approved DA/NE reuptake
inhibitor (B)
opioid
antagonist (N)
8/90 mg tb
2tb bid
4.8% 1 year
stop if <%5
weight loss
at 12 weeks
See more for Bupropion/Naltrexone
Liraglutide FDA & EMA approved GLP-1 agonist 3mg sc
once a day
5.8kg 1 year
stop if <4%
weight loss
at 14 weeks
See more for Liraglutide

OTC=over the counter, MAOI=monoaminoxidase ınhibitor, NE=norepinephrine, DA=dopamine, GLP-1=glucagon-like peptide-1,
MEN=multiple endocrine neoplasia,
N=Naltrexone, B=Bupropion,
bid=twice a day,
tid=three times a day,
tb=tablets,
sc=subcutaneous injection,
Wks=Weeks


References