Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution

Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Absorption and Distribution

Obesity significantly alters the pharmacokinetic processes of drug absorption and distribution, presenting unique challenges in medical treatment. The increased fat tissue and decreased lean muscle in obese individuals can significantly affect how drugs are absorbed into the body and distributed across different tissues. This alteration can lead to variances in the effectiveness and safety of medications, necessitating adjustments in dosing or drug selection for obese patients.One notable...

Drug Dosing: Obese Patients

Drug Dosing: Obese Patients

In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

Atypical antidepressants, including bupropion (Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (Serzone), trazodone (Desyrel), and vilazodone (Viibryd), offer unique mechanisms of action. Bupropion weakly inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, aiding depression treatment and smoking cessation, with a low risk of sexual dysfunction. Mirtazapine enhances serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmission, leading to sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. As a result, it helps treat...

Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Metabolism and Excretion

Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Metabolism and Excretion

Drug metabolism, a critical process in the liver, involves two primary phases: Phase I reactions and Phase II conjugation. Obesity introduces significant alterations in this metabolic process, primarily due to fatty infiltration of the liver, leading to conditions such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This condition can modify the activities of both Phase I and II enzymes, impacting how drugs are metabolized in obese patients.Phase I metabolism sees variable effects across...

Drugs for Treatment of Constipation-Predominant IBS

Drugs for Treatment of Constipation-Predominant IBS

Pharmacological therapies for IBS-C are designed to alleviate abdominal discomfort and enhance bowel function. In patients with IBS-C, fiber supplements may help soften stools and decrease straining, but may also lead to increased gas production and bloating. Osmotic laxatives like milk of magnesia are frequently used to soften stools and increase stool frequency in IBS-C patients. In addition, two drugs approved for use in severe IBS-C adult cases are linaclotide (Linzess) and lubiprostone...

Lipid-Lowering Drugs: Statins and Miscellaneous Agents

Lipid-Lowering Drugs: Statins and Miscellaneous Agents

Hyperlipidemia, a medical condition often referred to as high cholesterol, is characterized by abnormally elevated levels of lipids in the bloodstream. When present in excess, these lipids, specifically cholesterol and triglycerides, can lead to serious health complications, often involving cardiovascular diseases. Illnesses like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and pancreatitis have all been linked to untreated hyperlipidemia. This means controlling and regulating cholesterol and triglyceride...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Identifying Predictors of Weight-Related Outcomes With Fixed-Dose, Extended-Release Naltrexone and Bupropion Among Treatment-Adherent Patients in Phase 3 COR Trials: A Treatment Target Analysis.

Obesity science & practice·2026

Same author

GLP-1 and Nutrient Stimulated Hormone Targets: Beyond Weight Loss.

Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.]·2026

Same author

TOS/OMA/OAC Expert Guidance Statement on Obesity Pharmacotherapy: A Humbling Call to Action.

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)·2026

Same author

Clinical and Preclinical Obesity in Korean Adults from 2014 to 2023.

Diabetes & metabolism journal·2026

Same author

Semaglutide and Hospitalizations in Patients With Obesity and Established Cardiovascular Disease: An Exploratory Analysis of the SELECT Randomized Clinical Trial.

JAMA cardiology·2025

Same author

Once-Monthly Maridebart Cafraglutide in Obesity - A Phase 2 Trial. Reply.

The New England journal of medicine·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Drugs for Treating Obesity.

¹Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA. Donna.Ryan@pbrc.edu.

Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology

|November 16, 2021

Summary

Newer weight management drugs like semaglutide show greater efficacy than older options. This review covers current and emerging obesity pharmacotherapies, including those for genetic conditions.

Keywords:

Anti-obesity medication Bimagrumab Cagrilintide Chronic weight management Liraglutide Naltrexone/bupropion Obesity drugs Obesity pharmacotherapy Orlistat Phentermine/topiramate Semaglutide Setmelanotide Tirzepatide

Related Experiment Videos

Area of Science:

Pharmacology
Endocrinology
Obesity Medicine

Background:

Older chronic weight management medications have limited adoption due to modest efficacy.
Current pharmacotherapies offer only slight weight loss when combined with lifestyle interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

To review available and anticipated medications for chronic weight management.
To discuss medications for genetic and syndromic obesity.
To highlight the emergence of highly effective anti-obesity pharmacotherapies.

Main Methods:

Review of current literature on anti-obesity medications.
Analysis of clinical trial data for emerging therapies.
Discussion of personalized medicine approaches for rare genetic obesities.

Main Results:

Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly demonstrates significantly greater weight loss (average 15% at 1 year) compared to older agents.
GLP-1 receptor analogs, like semaglutide, show enhanced efficacy and may increase clinician adoption.
Emerging drugs like tirzepatide and cagrilintide/semaglutide combinations show promise for even greater weight loss.
Setmelanotide offers a personalized medicine approach for ultra-rare genetic obesities.

Conclusions:

Semaglutide represents a significant advancement in weight management pharmacotherapy.
The development of highly effective anti-obesity medications is rapidly evolving.
Future research, including cardiovascular outcome trials, will further define the role of these medications in cardiometabolic disease management.