RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Recent advancements in drug treatment of obesity
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 456
OP 460
DO 10.7861/clinmedicine.12-5-456
VO 12
IS 5
A1 Rebeca Carter
A1 Angelina Mouralidarane
A1 Shuvra Ray
A1 Junpei Soeda
A1 Jude Oben
YR 2012
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/12/5/456.abstract
AB The prevalence of obesity is rising worldwide, with the UK having the highest prevalence in Europe. Obesity is associated with significant morbidity and has substantial healthcare implications, with current projections estimating that by 2030 obesity will cost the NHS approximately £2 billion each year. Lifestyle modification remains the cornerstone of anti-obesity treatment, but drugs can be introduced as adjuncts to assist and maintain weight loss. Some 1.45 million obesity-related prescriptions were dispensed in 2009, highlighting the high demand for obesity pharmacotherapy. At present, the lipase inhibitor orlistat (Xenical) is the only UK-approved long-term medical therapy for obesity. Double-blind clinical trials have shown that orlistat significantly increases weight loss compared to placebo, but the array of adverse side effects associated with orlistat limits its tolerability. The need for more effective and better-tolerated anti-obesity medications is clear and six therapies have reached phase-III trials.