12
Prescribing Obesity Medications
Medications Approved for Short-Term Treatment of Obesity
Drug How Taken Mechanism
Phentermine
and other
sympathomimetics
PO, up to three times
daily for immediate
release and daily for
extended release
Sympathomimetic
amine; short-term
labeled
Medications Approved for Long-Term Treatment of Obesity
(cont'd)
Drug How Taken Main Side Effects
Setmelanotide
(POMC/PCSK1/LEPR
def iciency; BBS; ≥2 y)
Subcutaneous
daily
MC4R agonist
Metreleptin
(congenital/acquired
generalized lipodystrophy
with leptin def iciency)
Subcutaneous
daily
Leptin analog
Diazoxide choline
(Prader-Willi hyperphagia)
PO every 8-12
hours
ATP-sensitive
potassium
channel (KATP)
opener (appetite
regulation)
