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Review
. 2024 Aug;84(8):933-952.
doi: 10.1007/s40265-024-02029-0. Epub 2024 Jul 6.

Pharmacotherapy as an Augmentation to Bariatric Surgery for Obesity

Luděk Horváth  1 , Miloš Mráz  1 , Edward B Jude  2 , Martin Haluzík  3
Affiliations
Review

Pharmacotherapy as an Augmentation to Bariatric Surgery for Obesity

Luděk Horváth et al. Drugs. 2024 Aug.

Abstract

A global obesity pandemic is one of the most significant health threats worldwide owing to its close association with numerous comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, heart failure, cancer and many others. Obesity and its comorbidities lead to a higher rate of cardiovascular complications, heart failure and increased cardiovascular and overall mortality. Bariatric surgery is at present the most potent therapy for obesity, inducing a significant weight loss in the majority of patients. In the long-term, a substantial proportion of patients after bariatric surgery experience a gradual weight regain that may, in some, reach up to a presurgical body weight. As a result, anti-obesity pharmacotherapy may be needed in some patients after bariatric surgery to prevent the weight regain or to further potentiate weight loss. This article provides an overview of the use of anti-obesity medications as an augmentation to bariatric surgery for obesity. Despite relatively limited published data, it can be concluded that anti-obesity medication can serve as an effective adjunct therapy to bariatric surgery to help boost post-bariatric weight loss or prevent weight regain.

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Conflict of interest statement

Luděk Horváth and Miloš Mráz have no conflicts of interest to declare in relation to this work. Edward B. Jude has received research grants, speaker fees, and travel grants from Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Menarini and Astra Zeneca. Martin Haluzík participated in Advisory Boards for Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Merck, and Pfizer, and received research support from Sanofi and consulting and speaker fees from Sanofi and Novo Nordisk.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Global obesity prevalence in 2016 [155]
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Selected bariatric surgery procedures
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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