Prescription Diet Drug Gets FDA Approval

Its been a long time coming, but the first prescription diet drug in many years has finally been given FDA approval. According to a recent Los Angeles Times article The FDA has given its approval for the marketing of the weight-loss drug lorcaserin, the first prescription weight loss medication to achieve the FDAs approval since the department approved orlistat in 1999. After it receives clearance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the drug will be brought to market in the United States using the commercial name Belviq. The medication achieved marketing approval as a drug for the treatment of chronic weight management in adult patients with a BMI or body mass index of more than 30, or for patients who have a BMI of 27 or more with a weight-related condition that could include high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. Dr. Kim explains to patients who struggle with weight loss that fluctuating weight following procedures including liposuction and breast augmentation can negatively affect the patients results. This includes both significant weight gain as well as subsequent weight loss. Patients who have had breast augmentation may find that with significant weight loss their breast size could be reduced and as a result could show rippling of the breast implants, especially in patients who are extremely thin and have saline implants. Significant weight gain for patients who have had breast augmentation could cause the bust size to increase and subsequently there could be a new sagging component to the breast. Patients who have had liposuction could find with significant weight gain their results are no longer as pleasing as they were initially. As a general rule the rare numbers of patients who gain weight after liposuction tend to gain proportionately and are still satisfied with their results. Dr. Kim advises patients to maintain a stable and healthy weight for the best long-term results of all cosmetic plastic surgeries.