Sensible Medicine This Fortnight in Medicine
Jun 4, 2025
This week dives into groundbreaking research on semaglutide, revealing its potential for treating fatty liver disease and the ethical challenges in clinical trials. The intricate link between obesity and liver health is also explored, emphasizing the need for compassion in obesity treatment. Attention shifts to a study on tiotropium, shedding light on its possible dementia risks for COPD patients, while debating the validity of observational studies in medicine. The conversation highlights the complexities of tailoring treatment choices and the importance of rigorous research.
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Semaglutide's Liver Disease Breakthrough
- Semaglutide shows major promise in treating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
- It reduces liver inflammation and fibrosis, potentially reversing serious liver damage.
Limits of Observational Studies
- Observational studies often struggle with confounding factors that obscure real drug effects.
- Even advanced matching methods cannot eliminate unknown biases influencing outcomes.
Use GLP-1s for Disease Treatment
- Treat metabolic fatty liver disease with GLP-1 agonists as a true disease therapy, not just lifestyle aid.
- Recognize that many patients cannot lose weight through diet and exercise alone.