Medical Research Journal 2023;
Volume 8, Number 1, 265–266,
DOI: 10.5603/mrj.97463,
Copyright © 2023 Via Medica,
ISSN 2451-2591, e-ISSN 2451-4101

Multiple new therapeutic options for the treatment of obesity

Julia M. Umińska
Department of Geriatrics, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz, Poland

Letter to the Editor

Corresponding author:

Julia M. Umińska,
Department of Geriatrics, Collegium
Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus
University, Bydgoszcz, Poland;
e-mail: julia.uminska@cm.umk.pl

I read with great interest the letter to the editor entitled “Semaglutide as a chance for obesity treatment” by Giordano U et al. [1]. Indeed, obesity is a major public health threat in many countries and a significant medical problem for many people. As such, it urgently calls for development of new and effective methods of treatment, especially pharmacological ones. Semaglutide is undoubtedly one of them, but not the only one, as it might be inferred after reading the mentioned letter. Liraglutide is another glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 receptor agonist) that has also been shown to be very effective in reducing obesity [2]. Attention should also be paid to drugs with other mechanisms of action, such as orlistat or naltrexone-bupropion [3]. Orlistat has mainly a peripheral effect, it inhibits gastric and pancreatic lipases, thus decreasing dietary fat absorption [4]. Naltrexone (opioid receptor antagonist that inhibits the proopiomelanocortin POMC pathway inhibitor) and bupropion (antidepressant, norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor directly stimulating the POMC cells) work synergistically to increase the POMC peptide production, and therefore decrease food intake [5]. Tirzepatide is another particularly interesting therapeutic option. It is a peptide engineered from the native gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) sequence, with agonist activity at both the GIP and GLP-1 receptors. GIP activation acts synergistically with GLP-1 receptor activation to allow greater weight reduction than that achieved with GLP-1 receptor agonists alone [6]. Multiple other agents intended for the treatment of obesity are currently under investigation for their safety and effectiveness, but it is important to remember about drugs that, in addition to their main indications, also contribute to weight loss. Among them, sodium/glucose cotransporter2 (SGLT2) inhibitors deserve special attention, especially dapagliflozin and empagliflozin [7–9]. However, regardless of the drug used, long-term adherence to treatment plays a key role in the final success [10–14]. Many studies unanimously point to discontinuation of therapy as the main cause of clinical failure [15–20]. Therefore, regardless of the availability of increasingly effective drugs, the role of patient education cannot be overstated [21–24].

Article information

Acknowledgments: None.
Conflict of interest: None.
Funding: None.
Supplementary material: None.

References

  1. Giordano U, Kobiałka J, Pilch J. Semaglutide as a chance for obesity treatment. Medical Research Journal. 2023; 8(3): 262264, doi: 10.5603/mrj.a2023.0034.
  2. le Roux CW, Astrup A, Fujioka K, et al. SCALE Obesity Prediabetes NN8022-1839 Study Group. 3 years of liraglutide versus placebo for type 2 diabetes risk reduction and weight management in individuals with prediabetes: a randomised, double-blind trial. Lancet. 2017; 389(10077): 13991409, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30069-7, indexed in Pubmed: 28237263.
  3. Chakhtoura M, Haber R, Ghezzawi M, et al. Pharmacotherapy of obesity: an update on the available medications and drugs under investigation. EClinicalMedicine. 2023; 58: 101882, doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101882, indexed in Pubmed: 36992862.
  4. Yanovski SZ, Yanovski JA. Long-term drug treatment for obesity: a systematic and clinical review. JAMA. 2014; 311(1): 7486, doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.281361, indexed in Pubmed: 24231879.
  5. Telci Caklili O, Cesur M, Mikhailidis DP, et al. Novel Anti-obesity Therapies and their Different Effects and Safety Profiles: A Critical Overview. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2023; 16: 17671774, doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S392684, indexed in Pubmed: 37337548.
  6. Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, et al. SURMOUNT-1 Investigators. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2022; 387(3): 205216, doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2206038, indexed in Pubmed: 35658024.
  7. Kubica J, Kubica A, Grzelakowska K, et al. Inhibitors of sodium-glucose transport protein 2: A new multidirectional therapeutic option for heart failure patients. Cardiol J. 2023; 30(1): 143149, doi: 10.5603/CJ.a2021.0133, indexed in Pubmed: 34708866.
  8. Kubica J. Dapagliflozin a key pawn on the new guidelines chessboard. Medical Research Journal. 2021; 6(4): 342350, doi: 10.5603/mrj.a2021.0056.
  9. Kubica J. Heart failure treatment according to the 2021 European Society of Cardiology Guidelines experiences with SGLT2 inhibitors have changed the treatment strategy. Medical Research Journal. 2021; 6(3): 163165, doi: 10.5603/mrj.2021.0046.
  10. Kubica A, Kosobucka A, Fabiszak T, et al. Assessment of adherence to medication in patients after myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. Is there a place for newself-reported questionnaires? Curr Med Res Opin. 2019; 35(2): 341349, doi: 10.1080/03007995.2018.1510385, indexed in Pubmed: 30091642.
  11. Kubica A, Obońska K, Fabiszak T, et al. Adherence to antiplatelet treatment with P2Y12 receptor inhibitors. Is there anything we can do to improve it? A systematic review of randomized trials. Curr Med Res Opin. 2016; 32(8): 14411451, doi: 10.1080/03007995.2016.118290, indexed in Pubmed: 27112628.
  12. Kubica A. Adherence to medication in elderly patients. Medical Research Journal. 2023; 1(8): 9394, doi: 10.5603/mrj.a2023.0015.
  13. Kubica A, Gruchała M, Jaguszewski M, et al. Adherence to treatment a pivotal issue in long-term treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases. An expert standpoint. Medical Research Journal. 2018; 2(4): 123127, doi: 10.5603/mrj.2017.0016.
  14. Kubica A, Pietrzykowski Ł. The therapeutic plan implementation in patients discharged from the hospital after myocardial infarction. Medical Research Journal. 2021; 6(2): 7982, doi: 10.5603/mrj.a2021.0024.
  15. Pietrzykowski Ł, Michalski P, Kosobucka A, et al. Medication adherence and its determinants in patients after myocardial infarction. Sci Rep. 2020; 10(1): 12028, doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-68915-1, indexed in Pubmed: 32694522.
  16. Kosobucka A, Michalski P, Pietrzykowski Ł, et al. Adherence to treatment assessed with the Adherence in Chronic Diseases Scale in patients after myocardial infarction. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2018; 12: 333340, doi: 10.2147/PPA.S150435, indexed in Pubmed: 29551891.
  17. Pietrzykowski Ł, Kasprzak M, Michalski P, et al. Therapy Discontinuation after Myocardial Infarction. J Clin Med. 2020; 9(12), doi: 10.3390/jcm9124109, indexed in Pubmed: 33352811.
  18. Pietrzykowski Ł, Kasprzak M, Michalski P, et al. The influence of patient expectations on adherence to treatment regimen after myocardial infarction. Patient Educ Couns. 2022; 105(2): 426431, doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.05.030, indexed in Pubmed: 34059362.
  19. Kubica A, Kasprzak M, Obońska K, et al. Discrepancies in assessment of adherence to antiplatelet treatment after myocardial infarction. Pharmacology. 2015; 95(1-2): 5058, doi: 10.1159/000371392, indexed in Pubmed: 25592409.
  20. Laskowska E, Michalski P, Pietrzykowski Ł, et al. Implementation of therapeutic recommendations in high cardiovascular-risk patients. The Polish population of EUROASPIRE V survey. Medical Research Journal. 2021; 6(3): 230236, doi: 10.5603/mrj.a2021.0045.
  21. Michalski P, Kasprzak M, Siedlaczek M, et al. The impact of knowledge and effectiveness of educational intervention on readiness for hospital discharge and adherence to therapeutic recommendations in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Medical Research Journal. 2020, doi: 10.5603/mrj.a2020.0023.
  22. Kubica A, Kasprzak M, Obońska K, et al. Impact of health education on adherence to clopidogrel and clinical effectiveness of antiplatelet treatment in patients after myocardial infarction. Medical Research Journal. 2016; 3(4): 154159, doi: 10.5603/fmc.2015.0010.
  23. Buszko K, Obońska K, Michalski P, et al. The Adherence Scale in Chronic Diseases (ASCD). The power of knowledge: the key to successful patient health care provider cooperation. Medical Research Journal. 2016; 1(1): 3742, doi: 10.5603/mrj.2016.0006.
  24. Kosobucka A, Pietrzykowski Ł, Michalski P, et al. Impact of readiness for discharge from the hospital on the implementation of the therapeutic plan. Medical Research Journal. 2020; 5(4): 256264, doi: 10.5603/mrj.a2020.0047.

Regulations

Important: This website uses cookies. More >>

The cookies allow us to identify your computer and find out details about your last visit. They remembering whether you've visited the site before, so that you remain logged in - or to help us work out how many new website visitors we get each month. Most internet browsers accept cookies automatically, but you can change the settings of your browser to erase cookies or prevent automatic acceptance if you prefer.

By VM Media Group sp. z o.o., ul. Świętokrzyska 73, 80–180 Gdańsk, Poland
tel.:+48 58 320 94 94, fax:+48 58 320 94 60, e-mail: viamedica@viamedica.pl