HOLISTIC WEIGHT LOSS
Pharmacologic Treatment of Obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a condition which can lead to major morbidity and mortality as well as chronic medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea and others.
After ruling out hormonal or other abnormalities which can lead to weight gain the mainstay of treatment is of course lifestyle modification including a healthy diet and regular physical activity. However in many cases lifestyle modification is not enough to achieve the desired weight loss and pharmacologic treatment is indicated on top of diet and exercise. Other options are bariatric surgery.
Weight Loss Injections
Currently the most commonly used agents for treatment of obesity belong to a class of medications called GLP-1 agonists. Formulations include daily tablets (semaglutide) or weekly injections (semaglutide, tirzepatide) with injections more effective than tablets in achieving weight loss.
- Origins & approval:
- Side Effects:
- Contraindications:
- Initially approved for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- Subsequently gained approval for weight loss.
Common side effects include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fatigue
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) and gallstones have also been reported albeit less frequently.
Contraindications may include:
- Allergic reactions to GLP-1 agonists.
- Personal or family history of a specific type of thyroid cancer (medullary cancer of the thyroid).
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