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Review
. 2016 Mar;7(2):92-107.
doi: 10.1177/2040622315620180. Epub 2015 Dec 16.

The GLP-1 agonist, liraglutide, as a pharmacotherapy for obesity

James Crane  1 , Barbara McGowan  2
Affiliations
Review

The GLP-1 agonist, liraglutide, as a pharmacotherapy for obesity

James Crane et al. Ther Adv Chronic Dis. 2016 Mar.

Abstract

There is a global obesity epidemic that will continue to be a financial burden on healthcare systems around the world. Tackling obesity through diet and exercise should always be the first intervention, but this has not proved to be effective for a large number of patients. Pharmacotherapeutic options have been limited and many previously available drugs have been withdrawn due to safety concerns. Currently, only bariatric surgery has the capability to induce both substantial and durable weight loss. This article briefly reviews the history of pharmacotherapy for obesity before focusing on the clinical trial evidence for the use of the GLP-1 agonist liraglutide as a weight loss agent and comparing its efficacy with other emerging drug therapies for obesity.

Keywords: liraglutide; obesity; pharmacotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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