Effect of orlistat added to diet (30% of calories from fat) on plasma lipids, glucose, and insulin in obese patients with hypercholesterolemia.

The objective of this study was to quantify the effectiveness of orlistat plus a reduced calorie diet on decreasing cardiovascular disease risk in obese individuals with elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations, and to compare the beneficial effects in patients with hypercholesterolemia only (type IIA) with those in subjects with combined dyslipidemia (type IIB). Hypercholesterolemic patients treated with orlistat lost more weight (mean +/- SEM 9.9 +/- 0.4 vs 6.1 +/- 0.5 kg, p = 0.0001) and had greater decreases in plasma cholesterol (p = 0.0001), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.0001), triglycerides (p = 0.06), glucose (p = 0.07), and insulin (p = 0.02) concentrations compared with the diet-only treated patients. The greater degree of weight loss in orlistat-treated subjects was similar irrespective of the form of dyslipidemia, and plasma total and LDL cholesterol and insulin levels decreased to a significantly greater degree (p <0.05) in those patients who received orlistat and who had either type IIA and IIB dyslipidemia. However, triglyceride and insulin concentrations decreased and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased to a significantly greater degree following orlistat-assisted weight loss in patients with type IIB compared with type IIA subjects, which was associated with a significantly greater decrease in the ratio of LDL/HDL cholesterol. Thus, weight loss in response to a reduced calorie diet in obese hypercholesterolemic patients was associated with a significant decrease in plasma LDL cholesterol levels. The beneficial metabolic effects of weight loss were accentuated in response to orlistat administration, and the improvement was greatest in patients with combined dyslipidemia (type IIB).

Treatment of Obese Patients with Dexfenfluramine: A Multicenter, Placebo-Controlled Study.

This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of dexfenfluramine (Dfen). Dfen 15 mg BID, and placebo were administered for 12 weeks to 337 moderately obese patients on calorically restricted diets. Patients were monitored for an additional 4 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated in 321 patients who were an average of 52% in excess of ideal body weight. Dfen-treated patients lost significantly more weight than did those treated with placebo (p less-than-or-equal 0.001). Small nonsignificant fluctuations in body weight were observed during the 4-week posttreatment period in both groups. The most common drug-related side effects were diarrhea, asthenia, dry mouth, and thirst (p less-than-or-equal 0.05 compared with placebo). Dexfenfluramine may become a valuable addition to weight loss and weight management programs.

A Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Moexipril in Mild to Moderate Hypertension.

This placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter study examined the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, moexipril, in lowering blood pressure in mildly to moderately hypertensive patients. Patients were initially randomized into four groups, two of which received moexipril 7.5 mg per day and two received moexipril 15 mg per day, for first 12 weeks of treatment. Patients then entered a withdrawal phase with one of the groups in each dose category continuing that dose of moexipril and one receiving placebo for 12 more weeks. From 223 patients randomized initially, 190 completed the 12-week withdrawal phase. In the two dosage groups from baseline to 12 weeks, sitting diastolic blood pressure decreased from 101.1 to 92.8 mm Hg for the 7.5-mg group and from 100.7 to 91.3 mm Hg for the 15-mg group (p < 0.05 baseline to week 12 in both groups) with a significant difference between those groups attained at week 12 only (p = 0.03). By the end of the withdrawal phase (24-week evaluation), the group that continued to receive 7.5 mg moexipril decreased diastolic blood pressure by 8.2 mm Hg, whereas the corresponding placebo group decreased diastolic blood pressure by 3.7 mm Hg. Although the difference between these two groups was not significant at the 24-week end point, all other time points differed significantly between groups at p less-than-or-equal 0.017. Similarly, whereas the corresponding placebo group had a mean reduction in diastolic blood pressure of 4.6 mm Hg, the group that continued 15 mg of moexipril showed a mean diastolic blood pressure reduction of 10.6 mm Hg (p < 0.001 between groups). No comparison between the two moexipril dosage groups was significant, however, during the withdrawal phase. These results during medication withdrawal indicate that moexipril is effective in significantly lowering diastolic blood pressure.