Optimizing diabetes treatment in the presence of obesity

Evidence of a neurophysiologic mechanism that involves hormones from adipocytes, pancreatic islet cells, and the gastrointestinal tract implicated in both obesity and diabetes has led to a search for drugs that not only either target obesity and diabetes or reduce hemoglobin A1c, but also have weight loss as a potential side effect. The authors review medications approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (including pramlintide, also approved for type 1 diabetes) that also have weight loss as a side effect. Drugs discussed include glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, neuroendocrine peptide hormones, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, and metformin. Where appropriate, the authors comment on the cardiovascular effects of these drugs.