title: Novel approaches to the pharmacotherapy of obesity.
abstract: Although the obesity epidemic is constantly expanding at very high costs for health care systems, the currently available options for the pharmacotherapy of obesity are very limited. This is not due to lack of interest or research on the subject but rather to the poor efficacy and/or safety profile of the majority of the antiobesity drugs developed up to now. Since the late fifties, various medications were brought to advanced states of clinical development but either never made it to the market or were initially approved only to be withdrawn some years later because of safety issues. However, our understanding of the pathophysiology of obesity has been steadily increasing and new, promising drugs targeting various selected obesity-associated and energy-homeostasis-related pathways are now under development. Nonetheless, obesity remains a disease mainly caused by an excess of caloric intake in relation to energy expenditure and on that basis, its treatment should be a healthy diet and physical activity. When these options alone are not sufficient, then additional pharmacotherapy with an acceptable efficacy and safety profile could provide a useful option.
authors.affiliation: Center of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine, University of Cologne, Kerpener St. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany. ioanna.berthold@uni-koeln.de
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gouni-Berthold
authors.forename: Jens C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brüning
authors.forename: Heiner K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Berthold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000009:adverse effects; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D015444:Exercise; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D001067:Appetite Depressants; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents