Safety and tolerability of medications approved for chronic weight management

• Published in: Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) Md.), 2015-04, Vol.23 (S1), p.S7-S11
• Main Author: Fujioka, Ken
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Obesity Agents - adverse effects; Anti-Obesity Agents - therapeutic use; Benzazepines - therapeutic use; Body mass index; Bupropion - adverse effects; Cardiovascular disease; Chronic illnesses; Delayed-Action Preparations; Diabetes; Drug dosages; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Drugs, Investigational - therapeutic use; Fructose - analogs & derivatives; Fructose - therapeutic use; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 - analogs & derivatives; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 - therapeutic use; Humans; Insulin; Legal medicine; Liraglutide; Mortality; Naltrexone - therapeutic use; Nausea; Obesity - drug therapy; Obesity - prevention & control; Patients; Phentermine - therapeutic use; Physicians; United States; United States Food and Drug Administration; Weight control; Weight Loss - drug effects
• ISSN: 1930-7381; 1930-739X
• DOI: 10.1002/oby.21094

In 2014 we have 4 new weight loss medications and one older medication with very different mechanisms of action – all approved for chronic weight management. Each medication has its own unique risk profile that makes patient selection important. Knowledge of the contraindications and safety issues can guide physicians to the most appropriate choice for a particular patient. Obesity medicine is entering a new era where our available options for prescribing have been very well studied. There should be no surprises, because bupropion, naltrexone, phentermine, topiramate and liraglutide have been prescribed for many years in millions of patients and lorcaserin has high specificity for a single receptor subtype. The FDA demanded very detailed risk-oriented studies to have these medications approved. In addition, the FDA has established REMS programs or risk management strategies to help ensure that the patients do not receive inappropriate medications. These medications were approved by the US FDA after very thorough testing. The decision to approve these medications was based on the benefits out-weighing the risks. Thus, if following the appropriate guidelines according to package labels, the practitioner can feel safe in prescribing these medications.