Endocrine Society: Treat Obesity First, Then Comorbidities

Address weight problems before treating comorbidities like hypertension and dyslipidemia, according to new guidelines from the Endocrine Society.

These guidelines, written by a task force formed by the Endocrine Society, recommend a significant shift away from the standard practice of treating comorbidies with medications, then managing obesity focusing on obesity when comorbidies are under control.
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The focus on pharmacologic management of obesity is a subject that was left out of previous guidelines.  Now, by combining newly approved weight loss drugs and lifestyle changes, the task force believes that patients will see less of a need for medications to manage their other conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.

The guidelines also outline the best treatment procedures for patients with comorbidities, and recommend safety and efficacy assessments of newly begun weight-loss drugs at monthly intervals for 3 months, and the discontinuation of drugs deemed ineffective.

"Knowledgeable prescribing of medications, choosing whenever possible those with favorable weight profiles, can aid in the prevention and management of obesity and thus improve health," they concluded.

Reference:

Apovian CM, Aronne LJ, Bessesen DH, et al. Pharmacological management of obesity: an endocrine society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endorinol Metab. 2015 January [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1210/jc.2014-3415.