Redux: A new Weight loss Medication :: Dieting Health Essays

Redux: A new Weight loss Medication History of Redux Dexfenfluramine is the first new anti-obesity drug to be approved by the FDA in 23 years. Although the drug was just recently recommended by an advisory panel for sale in the U.S. by a narrow 6 to 5 margin, it has been available in Europe for the past decade and it is sold in 65 countries (http://wsfl.usatoday.com/life/health/lhs484.htm). It is being marketed under the name "Redux" and its purpose is to help people lose weight by suppressing appetite. Who can use Redux? Redux is appropriate for people with a BMI (body mass index) of at least 30, or someone who is 30 percent over his ideal body weight. For example, if a 170 pound woman has an ideal body weight of 130, then she is a candidate for Redux. It may also be prescribed to someone with a BMI of 20 or greater in the presence of other risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidema). Denfexfluramine should not be prescribed for or taken by anyone who casually wants to lose 10 or 15 pounds (http://www.pharminfo.com/pubs/msb/dexfen2.html). How does Redux work? Redux, which from this point on will be referred to as denfexfluramine, is taken in the form of two 15 milligram capsules daily at the cost of approximately $2.40. The drug works by convincing the brain that the stomach is full. Denfexfluramine triggers the release of serotonin in the brain which depresses appetite and calms anxieties. Patients will eat smaller than normal size meals without feeling hungry, thus aiding them in their quest to lose weight. The drug is designed to be taken in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet to maximize its benefits. Deborah Wesley, a Redux user, attests to its effectiveness. "Once you take the pill and you sit down to the table all those cravings and those urges for out the window. You start to eat and you feel full really quickly" (http://www.wraltv.com:80/features/healthteam/1996/1106-weight-partl/html). How effective is Redux? Weight loss with denfexfluramine appears to be relatively modest for most patients. In addition, the majority of weight loss occurs within four to six months of initiating use, with weight loss declining after this period. If no weight loss occurs after one month of use, the patient and doctor must re-evaluate this drug therapy.. There have been several studies which attempt illustrate the potential weight loss for denfexfluramine users. Interneuron Pharmaceuticals of Lexington, Massachussettes reported that denfexfluramine helped 40 percent of people studied lose up to 10 percent of body weight -- double the amount of weight lost through diet alone (Seachrist 358).