Body mass loss due to orlistat therapy and multiple factors of cardiovascular risk

AIM: To study effects of body mass loss due to orlistat on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, 24-h profile of arterial pressure (AP), left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy, brain perfusion in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty middle-aged patients with MS entered the trial. They received orlistat in a dose 120 mg twice a day for 24 weeks. Before and after the treatment the patients' carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, insulin resistance were studied, 24-h monitoring of arterial pressure, echo-cardiography were made. Brain perfusion was studied with single-photon emission computed tomography in 18 patients. Results. All the patients lost much weight. This was accompanied with improved indices of AP profile, metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids, insulin resistance, left ventricular hypertrophy, brain perfusion. Conclusion. Orlistat treatment weakens basic factors of cardiovascular risk.