Drugs For Weight Loss In Obese People
Highlights
● Because obesity is a biological illness that frequently necessitates medicinal interventions, the scientists wrote that diet and exercise alone usually fail over the long run.
● The updated advice suggests that obese persons take prescription weight-loss medications in addition to lifestyle modifications.
The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), obese persons should utilise prescription weight-loss medications in addition to making lifestyle changes like exercising and eating better to lose weight.
Guidance
The doctors who wrote the guidance hope it will give doctors who treat obese patients clear information. A number of medications, including Wegovy, Qysmia, Saxenda, and Contrave, have now been approved to treat obesity.
Because obesity is a biological disorder that frequently necessitates medicinal interventions, diet and exercise alone usually don’t work in the long run.
Doctor’s Advice
According to Dr. John Magana, Division Chief of Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Yale Medicine and professor at Yale School of Medicine, the new guidance offers a great summary of the FDA-approved medications available along with useful details on their safety and efficacy, enabling practitioners to decide which treatment option is best for their patients.
Undoubtedly, we are aware that obesity is a biological illness. By that, I mean it is a sickness independent of drive and psychology.
AGA suggests the following medications for obesity
They define obesity as having a BMI over 30kg/m2 or a BMI over 27kg/m2 with a weight-related health complication. The panel strongly supports supplementing lifestyle interventions, such as diet and exercise, with pharmacotherapy to improve health outcomes in people with obesity.
Wegovy, Qysmia, Saxenda, and Contrave are the four medications reviewed in the guideline, which also provides a detailed explanation of how these medications operate to treat obesity :
● Wegovy
Wegovy, a medication that is frequently used to treat obesity, has glucoregulatory advantages and postpones stomach emptying. The risk of pancreatitis and gallbladder disease has been raised by this class of medication.
● Qysmia
Patients who suffer from migraines due to obesity are advised to take Qysmia. Patients with uncontrolled hypertension or heart problems shouldn’t use it. People with the potential to get pregnant should be warned about the hazards as this medication is also teratogenic.
● Saxenda
Saxenda helps manage type 2 diabetes, delays stomach emptying, and has glucoregulatory effects. It is linked to a higher incidence of gallbladder disease and pancreatitis.
● Contrave
The panel advises Contrave for people with depression as well as those trying to quit smoking. Patients with seizure problems or those who are taking opioid drugs concurrently shouldn’t receive it.
Drugs for weight loss face obstacles
Pharmacological therapies are permitted for long-term weight management, but many doctors choose not to recommend them because they are unfamiliar with the medications, cannot access them, or the medications are not covered by the patient’s health insurance coverage.
Conclusion
This excellent guidance offers a thorough analysis of the research supporting the use of anti-obesity drugs in adults who are obese or overweight effective in helping them lose weight.