Research
Mixed
Current anti-obesity medications improve weight and metabolic parameters but do not yet have data supporting a reduction in hard cardiovascular outcomes.
While these drugs significantly reduce weight and improve metabolic markers, they have not yet been proven to reduce hard cardiovascular events like heart attacks or strokes. Weight loss itself is a key factor in long-term health.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
The currently available data do not support a reduction in hard cardiovascular outcomes, but it is almost certain that such data are forthcoming in the very near future.
Why this rating
Based on the review's synthesis of available trials.
Source
Pharmacotherapy of obesity: an update on the available medications and drugs under investigation
Marlene Chakhtoura et al. · EClinicalMedicine · 2023
DOI 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101882
narrative_reviewCited 429×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
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