Sunday, March 22, 2009
Two prescription drugs have been approved for obesity treatment to achieve long-term weight loss. Both these drugs work in diverse ways and are meant to supplement — not replace — a healthy diet and regular exercise. The obesity treatment drugs are:
• Sibutramine (Reductil), an appetite suppressant, changes your brain chemistry making you feel full more quickly.
• Orlistat (Xenical), a fat blocker, prevents the absorption of fat in the intestines.
Appropriate, obesity treatment in the form of weight-loss surgery can result in a dramatic improvement in both weight and health. However, surgery is not a miracle procedure. The success of this obesity treatment depends on your commitment to making lifelong changes in your eating and exercise habits.
• Bariatric surgery, also known as weight-loss surgery, may be an option for those who have tried but cannot lose the excess weight and as a result face major health problems. This obesity treatment changes the anatomy of the digestive system thereby limiting the amount of food one can eat and digest.
• During Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, also known as gastric bypass surgery, the surgeon creates a small stomach pouch with the help of a stapler device, which is connected to the distal small intestine, the upper part of which is then reattached in a Y-shaped configuration; food and liquid flow directly from the pouch into the small intestine, bypassing most of the stomach. Weight loss is achieved by restricting the amount of food and reducing the amount of calories absorbed.
