The effects of diet and orlistat on body weight and lipid profiles in high risk Chinese patients with coronary artery disease, obesity and hypercholesterolemia

Orlistat is a gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor approved for use in obesity. So far, no evidence has been reported on the use of orlistat in obese patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).To investigate the effect of orlistat on body weight and lipid profiles in obese patients with CAD and hypercholesterolemia.Thirty non-diabetic patients with CAD, body mass index (BMI)or = 25 kg/m(2) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)or = 2.6 and4.1 mmol/L were put on diet for 12 weeks. Those still having a BMIor = 25 kg/m(2) received orlistat 120 mg thrice daily for another 24 weeks.BMI was significantly reduced by 1.7% after 12 weeks of dietary treatment. The 24-week orlistat treatment resulted in further significant reduction in BMI (-2.8%) and LDL-C (-7.0%).Diet and orlistat treatment significantly reduced BMI and improved LDL-C in obese patients with CAD and hypercholesterolemia.