10
Prescribing Obesity Medications
Medications Approved for Long-Term Treatment of Obesity
Drug How Taken Main Side Effects
Orlistat By mouth (PO)
three times
daily, with
fat-containing
meals
Gastrointestinal
(GI) lipase inhibitor
(fat absorption)
Naltrexone/bupropion ER Two pills PO
twice daily;
avoid high-fat
meals
Opioid antagonist
+ norepinephrine-
dopamine
reuptake inhibitor
(NDRI)
Phentermine/topiramate ER PO every
morning
Sympathomimetic
+ topiramate
Liraglutide Subcutaneous
daily
GLP-1 RA
Semaglutide Subcutaneous
weekly; PO
daily, taken
alone on an
empty stomach
with no other
PO intake for
30 min
GLP-1 RA
Tirzepatide Subcutaneous
weekly
Dual GLP-1/GIP RA
