2. Academic Validation
  3. Obesity and its comorbidities, current treatment options and future perspectives: Challenging bariatric surgery?

Obesity and its comorbidities, current treatment options and future perspectives: Challenging bariatric surgery?

  • Pharmacol Ther. 2023 Nov:251:108549. doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108549.
Simon Kloock 1,  Christian G Ziegler 2,  Ulrich Dischinger 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
  • 2 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
  • 3 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University Hospital, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, Würzburg, Germany. Electronic address: dischinger_u@ukw.de.
PMID: 37879540 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108549
Abstract

Obesity and its comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, Cardiovascular Disease, heart failure and non-alcoholic liver disease are a major health and economic burden with steadily increasing numbers worldwide. The need for effective pharmacological treatment options is strong, but, until recently, only few drugs have proven sufficient efficacy and safety. This article provides a comprehensive overview of obesity and its comorbidities, with a special focus on organ-specific pathomechanisms. Bariatric surgery as the so far most-effective therapeutic strategy, current pharmacological treatment options and future treatment strategies will be discussed. An increasing knowledge about the gut-brain axis and especially the identification and physiology of incretins unfolds a high number of potential drug candidates with impressive weight-reducing potential. Future multi-modal therapeutic concepts in obesity treatment may surpass the effectivity of bariatric surgery not only with regard to weight loss, but also to associated comorbidities.

Keywords

Bariatric surgery; Comorbidities; Incretin therapies; Obesity; Tirzepatide; Weight loss.

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