title: Pharmacological approaches to intervention.
abstract: Obesity is a major health concern which must be treated. The classical treatment strategies of diet, behavioural modification and exercise have been found to be ineffective for maintaining long-term weight loss. Drugs have been used to try and improve long-term maintenance of weight loss. Such drugs act centrally, peripherally, or via a combination of these effects. The aim has generally been to increase satiety, thermogenesis, or both. For a drug to be an effective anti-obesity agent, it must meet a number of criteria. The drug should reduce weight and weight dependent diseases, and have no addictive properties. In addition, any side-effects should be tolerable and/or transient, and the mechanism of action of the drug should be known. Studies have shown that pharmacotherapy, combined with classical treatment strategies, has improved the long-term maintenance of weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Service of Medicine and Nutrition, Hôtel Dieu de Paris, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guy-Grand
mesh_terms: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010645:Phentermine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D001067:Appetite Depressants; D005277:Fenfluramine; D010645:Phentermine