Drugs and Devices for Weight Management

Overweight is generally defined as a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2 in adults. A BMI ≥30 is considered obese (criteria differ slightly in Asian patients1). In patients with an elevated BMI, a 5-10% reduction in weight has been associated with a reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.2 Diet, exercise, and behavior modification are the traditional methods for losing weight, but they are often inadequate; the American College of Cardiology no longer recommends that all patients try lifestyle modification alone before adding pharmacologic treatment for weight loss.3 Guidelines on pharmacologic treatment of obesity from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) were last updated in 2022.