young_doc
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my friend just took his Steps..mentioned the drug Orlistat was on it. I had never heard of this drug before...
Just thought i'd let you all know =)
To save you all the trouble of googling it:
-for weight loss...blocks some of the fat normally digested by the intestine
-gas, Fatty/oily stool, poor bowel control/urgency
(could not find anything else really important on it. if anyone else has something to add about it, please do!)
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| drpkaur
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Orlistat is a drug designed to treat obesity. Its primary function is to prevent the absorption of dietary fats, thereby reducing caloric intake. It is intended for use in conjunction with a physician-supervised reduced calorie diet.
Orlistat works by inhibiting pancreatic lipase, an enzyme that breaks down triglycerides in the intestine. Without this enzyme, triglycerides from the diet are prevented from being hydrolyzed into absorbable free fatty acids and are excreted undigested. Only trace amounts of orlistat are absorbed systemically, the primary effect is local lipase inhibition within the GI tract after an oral dose. The primary route of elimination is through the feces.
At the standard prescription dose of 120 mg three times daily before meals, orlistat prevents approximately 30% of dietary fat from being absorbed.
The primary side effects of the drug are GI-related. Side effects were most severe within the first year of therapy. Because its main effect is to prevent dietary fat from being absorbed, the fat is excreted unchanged in the feces and so the stool may become oily or loose. Increased flatulence is also common. Bowel movements may become frequent or urgent. Rare occurrence of fecal incontinence have been seen in clinical trials. To minimize these effects, foods with high fat content should be avoided.
The absorption of fat-soluble vitamins are inhibited by the use of orlistat. A multivitamin tablet containing these vitamins (D, E, A and beta-carotene) should be taken once a day, at least 2 hours before or after taking the drug.
Contraindications
Malabsorption Reduced gall bladder function pregnancy/breast feeding renal disease
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| young_doc
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Thanks Dr. P Kaur!
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| mjl1717
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As usual drpkaur did a GREAT job! I just want to add since I was paid to give a lecture on Orlistat as a Physician assistant that .
1)* basically in laymans terms you defecate the fat
2)its associated with a 37% decrease in diabetes in clinical testing
3) Xenical in the 60mg capsules is OTC as of January 2006
4)drpkaur is a BIG asset to this forum {the real deal}---thats what its about/ giving good answers 100% of the time!!!!!!!!
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