Table 1.

Main characteristics of antiobesity medications included in the study

Drugs approved by FDA specifically for weight loss
Drug	Mechanism of action	Typical dosing	Adverse effects	Effect on weight
Orlistata,d,9,33	Limits fats absorption; pancreatic lipase inhibitor	120 mg tid	Abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, oily stools, diarrhea, decreased absorption of fat soluble vitamins Liver injury (rare)	2.9 kg placebo subtracted weight loss at 1 year
Diethylpropiona,e,9	Appetite suppressant; sympathomimetic amine	Average 75 mg/d	Dizziness, headache, insomnia, restless, increase in blood pressure, palpitations, tachycardia, gastrointestinal symptoms, rash	3.0 kg placebo-subtracted weight loss in studies ranging 6–52 weeks
Sibutramineb,9,33	Appetite suppressant; serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor	10–15 mg/d	Hypertension, tachycardia	4.2 kg placebo-subtracted weight loss at 1 year
Mazindolb,13	Appetite suppressant; norepinephrine inhibitor. Inhibitor of gastric acids and insulin secretion	1–4 mg/d	Restlessness, hypertension, nervousness	Average 3 kg placebo subtracted weight loss in 12 week studies
Topiramatec,33	Weight loss mechanism unknown. Supposed monoamine-mediated appetite suppression; increase in fat metabolism and reduction in lipogenesis	90–200 mg/d	Cognitive impairment, peripheral neuropathy	6.5% pooled random-effects of topiramate on weight loss compared with placebo

Notes:

^aDrugs approved by FDA specifically for weight loss;

^bDrugs previously approved by FDA specifically for weight loss and recently withdrawn from the market;

^cDrugs approved by the FDA for the other indications that exhibit weight loss promoting effects;

^dDrug approved by FDA for long-term treatment;

^eDrug approved by FDA for short-term treatment (12 weeks).