Babies and Dolls

Obesity often requires long-term treatment to promote and sustain weight loss.  Weight-loss drugs may sound like a dieter’s dream. Weight reduction medications are not designed for trivial or cosmetic weight loss. They are designed to help obese patients, as part of an overall weight management program. Some safe diet pills can be modestly effective, and enhance weight loss by 8%-10%, but medication does not work for everyone. Weight-loss medications are a tool to help combat these physiologic and behavioral pressures over the long term.  Most available weight-loss medications approved by the FDA are for short-term use. Most available weight-loss medications are “appetite-suppressant” medications. These include: Didrex, Tenuate, Sanorex, Mazanor, Adipex-P, Ionamin, Bontril and Meridia.

These medications generally come in the form of tablets or extended-release capsules. Phentermine remains available, but is approved only for short-term use. Sibutramine (Meridia) is approved for longer-term use. Orlistat (Xenical) is a medication that blocks the absorption of dietary fat and is also approved for longer-term use. Prescription strength is 120 milligrams; over-the-counter Alli is the same drug at half strength, or 60 milligrams. Meridia (sibutramine)  increases the levels of certain brain chemicals that help reduce appetite. The effects of diet pills treatment on obesity-related health risks have found that some agents lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and triglycerides (fats) and decrease insulin resistance over the short term.