About this course

Obesity is a multifactorial, chronic, relapsing and progressive disease which significantly increases both morbidity and mortality in affected patients. Several disorders occur with greater frequency in patients with obesity including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and various cancers. In most patients with obesity, clinically relevant improvements in many risk factors can be seen with weight loss of 5–10% body weight. However, managing obesity requires a multidisciplinary approach to counteract the body’s resistance to weight loss.

This e-learning module reviews the pathophysiology of obesity and provides an overview on available pharmacologic agents and how to choose the best obesity treatment for patients with certain comorbidities.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the educational activity, participants will be able to

• Understand obesity as a disease and the need to treat it
• Review the pharmacologic approach to obesity treatment

Topics covered

• Obesity: definition, associated health risks, evaluation
• Pathogenesis of obesity
  • Role of craving
• Therapeutic benefits of weight loss in obesity
• Approach to treatment, choosing candidate for drug therapy
• Pharmacotherapy – drug characteristics, mechanism of action, administration, advantages, and adverse effects
  • Drug preference in the presence of comorbidities

1 CPE Point Available

• Score at least 80% on the quiz.
• A certificate can be downloaded upon successful completion. Please use the information on the certificate to claim your CPE points.