The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended liraglutide (Saxenda, Novo Nordisk Limited) as an option for the management of overweight and obesity in adults, in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
Liraglutide is recommended for weight management in adults if the following conditions are fulfilled:
- patients have body mass index (BMI) of at least 35 kg/m2 (or 32.5 kg/m2 for minority ethnic groups known to be at equivalent risk of the consequences of obesity at a lower BMI than the white population); and
- they have non-diabetic hyperglycaemia (glycated haemoglobin level of 42-47 mmol/mol or fasting plasma glucose level of 5.5-6.9 mmol/L); and
- they have a high risk of cardiovascular disease on account of risk factors such as hypertension and dyslipidaemia.
Clinical evidence indicates that there is a greater likelihood of weight loss with liraglutide plus lifestyle measures than with lifestyle measures alone. Evidence has also shown liraglutide to delay the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The drug should be prescribed by a specialist multidisciplinary tier 3 weight management service within secondary care. It is to be used only when provided by the company in agreement with the commercial arrangement. The recommendations should not affect patients whose treatment with the drug was started before the publication of the guidance.
This article originally appeared on Univadis, part of the Medscape Professional Network.
