Medical management of obesity: an update

Obesity is rapidly growing global epidemic with monumental impact on health and economics. It is associated with multiple adverse health consequences including hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke to name a few. It is also associated with premature death. The economic impact of obesity is also striking and represents up to 6% of the total healthcare expenditure worldwide. Therefore, effective therapeutic strategies are desperately needed to curb the rising epidemic of obesity. In this review, we present the underlying cause of obesity, together with pathophysologic insights necessary for the practicing physician as basis for the medical therapeutic options available, that are presented in more details. We also discuss promising therapeutic agents that are under different stages of development.