In an article for The American Diabetes Association, Tamara Harris, MD, of the National Institute of Aging in Bethesda, Maryland, reports that about 44 percent of people will lose weight later in their lives while 19 percent of people gain weight later in their lives. Your physician can use diet medications to treat you and help you achieve weight loss. However, you should be aware of both the benefits and the dangers of the medications.
Function
According to the Mayo Clinic, weight loss drugs are for you to use only if you are obese, have health problems related to your weight, or if you are unable to lose weight through diet and exercise. The Mayo Clinic reports that using diet medication in unison with eating right is an effective way to achieve weight loss.
Considerations
According to the American Diabetes Association, using medications to treat weight problems in the elderly can cause side effects such as sleeplessness. In addition, the Mayo Clinic reports that to keep weight off, it is important to eat a healthy diet and continue to exercise. In addition, medications will affect people differently and you should always be under a physician's supervision when using diet medications.
Types
The American Diabetes Association reports that physicians use medications such as phentermine, orlistat or Xenical, and sibutramine to treat weight problems in senior citizens. You should only use weight loss medications under the supervision of your physician.
Benefits
Weight loss medications are beneficial because they help to supplement weight loss programs for elderly people who are having difficulty losing weight on their own. The Mayo Clinic reports that losing up to 5 percent or 10 percent of your body weight can help to decrease your blood pressure, decrease lipid levels, lower blood sugar levels and even increase insulin sensitivity in people with diabetes.
Dangers
According to RxList, some side effects of phentermine hydrochloride is dizziness, headaches diarrhea, constipation and heart palpitations. RxList also reports that Xenical can also cause side effects such as nausea, abdominal pain, respiratory infections, joint or back pain, dizziness, and depression. These dangers can be very serious in an elderly person and you should seek the advice of your physician immediately.
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