Introduction
Weight loss medications can be an effective tool in helping patients lose weight. However, there are many different types of weight loss medications that work differently, so it’s important for doctors to know which ones will work best for their patients. Drs. Nikhil and Emily Dhurandhar and their respected colleagues recently published a review article that discusses the use of liraglutide (Saxenda) for weight loss in particular.
Two primary treatments in the field of weight management are the use of medications and lifestyle interventions.
Lifestyle interventions include diet, exercise and behavioral therapy. These approaches have been shown to be effective for most people with obesity. Medications are recommended as an additional therapy for those who have tried lifestyle interventions and have not achieved weight loss on their own (or gained weight).
The National Heart Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI) has published new guidance on how physicians can evaluate whether medications are right for them or their patients with obesity.
Just like any medication, weight loss medications may work well for some people but not others. It’s important to remember that a medication may or may not address the reason someone isn’t able to lose weight.
For example, if struggle with hunger too much to follow a healthy diet plan, then taking a medication that reduces your appetite will likely be beneficial for you because it helps control your hunger. But if you are very sensitive to a medication and experience strong side effects, it might not be the right medication for you!
Being able to predict which medication might work best can help doctors and patients select the right medication quickly.
This type of guidance helps doctors and patients select the right medication quickly. This is important because it saves time as patients do not try a medication that isn’t likely to work. That way, time can be spent focusing on other medications that may help.
In a newly published review article, Drs. Nikhil and Emily Dhurandhar review the available literature on which patients do best with liraglutide (Saxenda) for weight loss.
The review was published last week in Obesity Reviews, one of the most highly cited journals in the field of obesity science.
The review, which was led by Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar at Texas Tech University, is based on a comprehensive analysis of existing studies of liraglutide that examined differences in medication responses based on patient factors.
Some patient characteristics are related to better weight loss outcomes from Liraglutide treatment.
The review focuses on patient characteristics that are related to better weight loss outcomes. It suggests that liraglutide may be more effective in women than men, and in patients who have a higher starting weight before weight loss. The authors also found that liraglutide was more effective for patients without type 2 diabetes, with those who lost at least 4% of their initial body weight within one month having the best results overall.
Conclusion
In summary, the Dhurandhars’ review provides important insights into which patients are most likely to respond to liraglutide for weight loss. The authors conclude that females with higher BMIs and who do not have type 2 diabetes may benefit from this medication.
