Obesity: Pharmacotherapy.

Pharmacotherapy, adjunctively with lifestyle interventions, is an option for any patient diagnosed with obesity (ie, body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m ² or greater) or with a BMI of 27 kg/m ² or greater and at least one coexisting condition, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and sleep apnea. If the appropriate criteria are met, pharmacotherapy should be initiated for patients with overweight or obesity if lifestyle modification does not produce adequate weight loss. Lifestyle modifications should be continued and emphasized throughout treatment because it has been shown that adjunctive pharmacotherapy produces greater weight loss and weight loss maintenance than lifestyle interventions alone. Currently, five drugs are approved for weight management in adults: phentermine, orlistat, phentermine-topiramate, bupropion-naltrexone, and liraglutide. Certain drugs are approved for short-term management while others are approved for long-term management. Drug therapy should be customized to the individual patient, depending on needs, contraindications, and cost. Benefits of these drugs should be assessed regularly and a different drug should be considered if at least 5% of body weight is not lost by 3 months of therapy.
(Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.)