The acute effect of orlistat on endothelial function in young obese women

Recent studies indicate that abdominal fat accumulation is related to impaired endothelial function in young healthy volunteers. The aim of this study was to determine the acute effect of gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor on brachial flow-mediated vasodilatation and hemodynamic parameters in young obese women. The study population was composed of 42 female obese patients (mean age 29 +/- 4 years, age range between 18 and 34 years). Flow-mediated endothelial-dependent vasodilatation was assessed in the brachial artery in response to reactive hyperemia using high-resolution ultrasound. Brachial artery diameter (3.46 +/- 0.72 mm to 3.82 +/- 0.84 mm) and flow-mediated vasodilation (7.6 +/- 0.8% to 9.8 +/- 1.6%) changed significantly after 12 weeks of therapy (p < 0.001). Brachial artery flow was not changed (124 +/- 92 ml/min to 148 +/- 14 ml/min, p > 0.05). The results of this study demonstrate that orlistat improved endothelial function, weight, body mass index and systolic and diastolic blood pressure in young women.