Weight Loss Pharmacotherapy

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.