Psychotropic Drug-Induced Weight Gain Alleviated with Orlistat: A Case Series

Weight gain is a common side effect associated with antidepressant, anxiolytic, and antipsychotic drug use. Obesity is a risk factor for several other disorders, including hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease. To date, there have been few safe, well-tolerated, and effective pharmacological agents available to alleviate weight gain in general, and virtually no studies specific to psychiatric drug-induced weight gain. This case series looks at the use of orlistat, a reversible inhibitor of lipases approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for obesity management, naturalistically in 13 patients with weight gain secondary to psychotropic drug use. The results showed that orlistat, administered in three daily doses with meals, was safe, well-tolerated, and effective, resulting in an average weight loss of 3–5% during an acute treatment period of about three months. Psychopharmacology Bulletin. 2003;37(1):5-9.