title: Medical management of obesity: an update.
abstract: Obesity is rapidly growing global epidemic with monumental impact on health and economics. It is associated with multiple adverse health consequences including hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke to name a few. It is also associated with premature death. The economic impact of obesity is also striking and represents up to 6% of the total healthcare expenditure worldwide. Therefore, effective therapeutic strategies are desperately needed to curb the rising epidemic of obesity. In this review, we present the underlying cause of obesity, together with pathophysologic insights necessary for the practicing physician as basis for the medical therapeutic options available, that are presented in more details. We also discuss promising therapeutic agents that are under different stages of development.
authors.affiliation: SUNY Downstate Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, Staten Island University Hospital, Brooklyn VA Harbor Health Care system Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Karam
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El-Sayegh
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nessim
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farag
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: McFarlane
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D019468:Disease Management; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents