Table 1.

Currently available anti-obesity medications: short-term use

Drug	Action mechanism	Dosage	Adverse effect	Contraindication	DEA schedule
Phentermine	Sympathomimetic amine	15–37.5 mg qd	Headache, elevated blood pressure, elevated heart rate, insomnia, dry mouth, constipation, anxiety, palpitations, dyspnea, angina pectoris, syncope, severe hypertension	History of cardiovascular disease, hyperthyroidism, glaucoma, pregnancy, breastfeeding, history of drug abuse, concomitant MAOI (within 14 days), agitated states, hypersensitivity	IV
Diethylpropion	Sympathomimetic amine	25 mg tid			IV
Mazindol	Sympathomimetic amine	1 mg qd-tid			IV

Short-term medications are considered as a few weeks, usually up to 12 weeks.

DEA, Drug Enforcement Agency; qd, once a day; tid, three times a day; MAOI, monoamine oxidase inhibitor.