Abstract
Background:
Obesity is a serious, chronic, relapsing disease of energy regulation, with strong genetic and early-life environmental determinants. Pharmacotherapy can be a useful adjunct to lifestyle intervention in effecting and maintaining clinically meaningful weight loss.
Objective:
The aim of this article is to discuss the role of pharmacotherapy in obesity management. The efficacy, side effects and contraindications of available weight-loss medications are reviewed.
Discussion:
Long-term pharmacotherapy options, which can be effective in providing moderate weight loss, are available to treat obesity. Pharma-cotherapy should be considered an adjunct to lifestyle intervention in those with a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m30 kg/m2, or in those with a BMI of 27-30 kg/m2 and obesity-related complications. Safety and efficacy should be monitored closely on commencement, and the medication should be discontinued if there are safety or tolerability issues, or if.
MeSH terms
-
Anti-Obesity Agents / adverse effects
-
Anti-Obesity Agents / pharmacology
-
Anti-Obesity Agents / therapeutic use
-
Appetite Depressants / adverse effects
-
Appetite Depressants / pharmacology
-
Appetite Depressants / therapeutic use
-
Body Mass Index
-
Drug Therapy / methods*
-
Drug Therapy / standards*
-
Drug Therapy, Combination / adverse effects
-
Drug Therapy, Combination / standards
-
Fructose / adverse effects
-
Fructose / analogs & derivatives
-
Fructose / pharmacology
-
Fructose / therapeutic use
-
Humans
-
Incretins / adverse effects
-
Incretins / pharmacology
-
Incretins / therapeutic use
-
Lactones / adverse effects
-
Lactones / pharmacology
-
Lactones / therapeutic use
-
Liraglutide / adverse effects
-
Liraglutide / pharmacology
-
Liraglutide / therapeutic use
-
Obesity / drug therapy*
-
Orlistat
-
Phentermine / adverse effects
-
Phentermine / pharmacology
-
Phentermine / therapeutic use
-
Topiramate
Substances
-
Anti-Obesity Agents
-
Appetite Depressants
-
Incretins
-
Lactones
-
Topiramate
-
Fructose
-
Liraglutide
-
Orlistat
-
Phentermine