The role of phentermine/topiramate extended-release in the treatment of obesity and obesity-related adverse health consequences

Abstract

Long-term pharmacologic strategies that may be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes to combat the obesity epidemic have, until recently, been an unmet clinical need. In 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two new drugs for chronic weight management in obese adults in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity: phentermine/topiramate extended-release (PHEN/TPM ER) and lorcaserin. The efficacy and safety of PHEN/TPM ER has been studied in clinical trials. PHEN/TPM ER had a substantial impact on weight loss with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) target of 10 % weight loss from baseline being achieved in almost half of patients receiving PHEN/TPM ER 15/92. Furthermore, PHEN/TPM ER was associated with improvement in obesityrelated adverse health consequences, including hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, and a reduction in the rate of progression to type 2 diabetes. This clinical evidence supports PHEN/TPM ER as an efficacious, well-tolerated anti-obesity agent that may also have a significant impact on obesity-related adverse health consequences. © Touch Medical Media 2013.