Research
Hormonal
Long-term pharmacotherapy for obesity requires medications with proven efficacy and safety, as lifestyle modification alone is often insufficient for sustained weight loss.
If lifestyle changes alone aren't enough, consult a doctor about long-term obesity medications. These drugs are designed for sustained use and can help manage weight effectively, but they come with side effects and costs that need to be managed.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Although lifestyle modification is fundamental in obesity treatment, more effective treatment tools are required... Drugs with proven long-term efficacy and safety are preferred because management for obesity treatment is a long-term process.
Why this rating
Based on a review of multiple clinical trials and guidelines.
Source
Current State of Pharmacotherapy in Obesity
Won Jun Kim · Korean Journal of Gastroenterology · 2024
DOI 10.4166/kjg.2024.016
narrative_reviewCited 7×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- GLP-1 receptor agonists (Liraglutide, Semaglutide) and dual GIP/GLP-1 agonists (Tirzepatide) offer superior weight loss compared to older anti-obesity medications.Good
- Older anti-obesity medications (Orlistat, Naltrexone/Bupropion, Phentermine/Topiramate, Liraglutide) have limited efficacy compared to newer GLP-1/GIP agonists.Good
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
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