A trial by the international Cochrane
Collaboration concluded that in
diabetic patients found:
"Fluoxetine, orlistat, and
sibutramine can achieve statistically
significant weight loss over 12 to 57
weeks. The magnitude of weight loss is
modest, however, and the long-term
health benefits remain unclear."
Medication most commonly
prescribed for diet/exercise-resistant
obesity is orlistat
(Xenical, which reduces
intestinal fat absorption by inhibiting
pancreatic lipase) and
sibutramine (Reductil,
Meridia, an anorectic (reduces
appetite)).
In the presence of diabetes mellitus,
there is evidence that the
anti-diabetic drug
metformin(Glucophage) can
assist in weight
loss—rather than
sulfonylurea derivatives and insulin,
which often lead to further weight
gain. The thiazolidinediones
(rosiglitazone or pioglitazone) can
cause slight weight gain, but decrease
the "pathologic" form of abdominal fat,
and are therefore often used in obese
diabetics.
