Combination Therapy: A New Tool for the Management of Obesity

Abstract

Obesity is a chronic lifestyle issue with devastating results. Behavioral changes are one of the initial lines of management strategies for obesity, but they are not very efficient management strategies. Many people also use surgical intervention to maintain a healthy weight, now considered to be the most common and effective obesity management. Chemically synthesized medicines fill the gap between lifestyle interventions and minimally invasive surgical management of obesity. The most common issue associated with monotherapy without side effects is its moderate effectiveness and higher dose requirement. Combination therapy is already used for many serious and complicated disease treatments and management and has shown efficacy as well. Generally, we use two or more medicines with different mechanisms of action for a better effect. The commonly used combination therapy for obesity management includes low-dose phentermine and prolonged and slow-releasing mechanism topiramate; naltrexone, and bupropion. Phentermine with inhibitors of Na-glucose cotransporter-2 or glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists with gastric hormone or Na-glucose cotransporter-2 are two more viable combo therapy. This combination strategy aims to achieve success in bariatric surgery and the scientific community is working in this direction.