New Weight-Loss Drug Released to Combat Obesity

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For the first time in 13-years, today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the weight-loss drug Belviq to combat the war on obesity.

Belviq has been approved for patients who are overweight and obese and and have one or more weight-related health problems, like diabetes, hight blood pressure and other illnesses that are the direct result of having too much body fat. The drug, Lorcaserin Hydrochloride  affects the receptors in the brain to influence individuals to eat less and feel fuller.

"The approval of this drug, used responsibly in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle, provides a treatment option for Americans who are obese or are overweight and have at least one weight-related comorbid condition," said Janet Woodcock, director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research for the FDA.

• Individuals who took Belviq in clinical trials were twice as likely to lose 5 percent or more of their weight than people who took a placebo. 
• Belviq has been also linked to improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. 
• Some of the adverse effects patients experienced when taking Belviq include headache, backache, sinus inflammation, and nausea.
• According to the World Health Organization, by 2015 2.3 billion adults worldwide will be overweight, with more than 700 million being obese. 

As with any new drug however there are assocaited risks. Individuals should not take any medications untilt hey have discussed with their doctor the medical necessity to do so and weighed the associated risks and benefits.