BACKGROUND: The increase in global obesity rates over the past three decades has 
been remarkable, a true epidemic, both in developed and in developing countries. 
The projections, based on current trends, suggest an increase in the prevalence 
of obesity at 60% in adult men, 40% in adult women and 25% in children in 2050. 
Given the limitations of lifestyle and surgery interventions bariatric, drug 
therapy approaches for the treatment of obesity, therefore become important 
options.
AIM: The purpose of this review is a review of the literature, based on research 
on MEDLINE until 2019, on the possible pharmacological options in the treatment 
of obesity.
RESULTS: Currently, the FDA has approved several molecules for the treatment of 
obesity, both in monotherapy and in combination. Pharmacological monotherapies 
focus mainly on a single protein target and include orlistat, lorcaserin and 
liraglutide while the combination molecules propose a multitarget approach and 
include phentermine/topiramate and naltrexone/bupropion. All the approved drugs 
showed, in the different studies, a weight reduction of at least 5%, compared to 
placebo, in 52 weeks of observation. Phentermine-topiramate and liraglutide have 
been associated with the highest probability of at least 5% weight loss. 
Liraglutide and naltrexone-bupropion had the lowest rates of therapy 
discontinuation due to adverse events.
CONCLUSION: The drugs, associated with the standard diet and/or exercise 
protocols, represent a good therapeutic opportunity to allow not only weight 
loss but also to reduce the risk of developing diseases caused by obesity, 
particularly cardiovascular diseases, and to maintain the set objectives over 
time. However, future research on the pharmacological treatment of obesity 
should encourage greater personalization of therapy, given the differences in 
safety, efficacy and response to therapy, in the different subpopulations of 
patients with obesity.