title: Novel therapies for cardiometabolic risk reduction and implications for clinical practice.
abstract: The growing prevalence of obesity is associated with a dramatic increase in a number of related risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, including high triglyceride and fasting glucose levels, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and increased blood pressure. For many patients, lifestyle interventions (eg, exercise and a reduced-calorie diet) are insufficient for overcoming obesity, and pharmacotherapy becomes necessary. Unfortunately, the currently available agents are associated with side effects such as gastrointestinal distress and increased blood pressure. A new class of drugs targeting the cannabinoid receptors is poised to join the obesity-management armamentarium, with one agent-rimonabant-demonstrating efficacy in 4 recent phase III multinational trials. Patients randomized to rimonabant 20 mg/d showed significant reductions in weight and significant improvements in lipid profiles and other measures of cardiometabolic risk factors.
authors.affiliation: David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA Program in Preventive Cardiology, Los Angeles, Calfornia, USA.
authors.forename: Karol E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004032:Diet; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008019:Life Style; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077285:Rimonabant; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D008055:Lipids; D010880:Piperidines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D000077285:Rimonabant