title: Treatment with orlistat reduces cardiovascular risk in obese patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the efficacy of orlistat, as an adjunct to dietary modification, in weight reduction and modification of cardiovascular risk factors in obese patients after 1 year of treatment
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3132 obese patients (body mass index 28-43 kg/m2) were evaluated in an analysis of pooled data from five randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of orlistat in conjunction with a hypocaloric diet. All studies included a 4-week, single-blind, placebo lead-in period during which patients followed a mildly hypocaloric diet, after which they were randomized to double-blind treatment with orlistat 120 mg three times a day (tid) or placebo for 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 1 year, orlistat 120 mg tid produced significantly more weight loss than placebo (9.2% vs 5.8%; P< 0.001). Furthermore, a greater proportion of orlistat-treated patients lost >5% or >10% of their initial body weight compared to placebo (69.6% vs 51.9%; P< 0.001 and 42.1% vs 22.7%; P< 0.001, respectively). Improvements in cardiovascular risk factors were observed during a 4-week placebo lead-in period. However, following randomization, orlistat-treated patients had significantly greater improvements than placebo-treated patients in several lipid parameters including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B. In addition, orlistat had a beneficial effect on oral glucose tolerance tests status, waist circumference and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Orlistat was well tolerated and had a similar safety profile to placebo.
authors.affiliation: Preventive Cardiology Institute, Fairview Southdale Hospital, Edina, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zavoral
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008049:Lipase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077403:Orlistat; D012307:Risk Factors; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007783:Lactones; D008055:Lipids; D000077403:Orlistat; D008049:Lipase