The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7496 p388
5 April 2008

This article
Reprint   Photocopy

  Acrobat Reader

News summary

Mixed results for BP with weight loss drugs

In patients with hypertension, dietary intervention or use of orlistat reduces both body weight and blood pressure, a meta-analysis reveals (Archives of Internal Medicine 2008;168:571).

Loss of 4kg through dietary intervention was associated with a bigger reduction in systolic blood pressure than the same weight loss using orlistat (6mmHg compared with 2.5mmHg)

Treatment with sibutramine reduced body weight but not blood pressure. None of the studies included in the analysis provided data on whether risk of mortality can be lowered by weight reduction.