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Weight Loss Pharmacotherapy: Current and Future Therapies.

Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am · 2024

Last updated 2026-05-28

Five FDA-approved medications are currently available for obesity treatment: orlistat, phentermine/topiramate, naltrexone/bupropion, liraglutide 3.0 mg, and semaglutide 2.4 mg. While surgery often leads to more lasting weight loss than medication or lifestyle changes alone, some patients regain weight afterward. Combining medication with surgery or endoscopic procedures may help address this issue, though more research is needed to determine the best timing for such treatments.

AI summary of the abstract below.

JournalGastrointest Endosc Clin N Am, 2024
Citations5
Relative citation ratio1.32
NIH percentile60
Molecules
Conditions studied Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction

Abstract

The rising prevalence of obesity is of major concern. There are currently 5 Food and Drug Administration-approved medications for the treatment of obesity: orlistat, phentermine/topiramate, naltrexone/bupropion, liraglutide 3.0 mg, and semaglutide 2.4 mg. Surgical options such as bariatric surgery and endoscopic surgery induce more durable weight loss than pharmacotherapy or lifestyle interventions alone. However, patients often experience weight regain and weight loss plateau after surgery. The addition of multimodal or multihormonal pharmacotherapy is a promising tool to address these challenges. The optimal timing of obesity pharmacotherapy with surgical and endoscopic interventions requires further investigation.

Verbatim abstract via PubMed 39277293 ↗