Phentermine and Topiramate: Monotherapy and Their Combination Efficacy in the Treatment of Children and Adults with Obesity

Abstract

The obesity prevalence in children has increased dramatically over the past four decades and has epidemic nature. Lifestyle correction in majority of obese children and adolescents leads only to slight success in reducing body weight (that usually restores to initial level). The increasing availability of pharmacotherapeutic agents approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for body weight reduction in children provides physicians with new and effective tools for obesity management. Phentermine/ topiramate is a combination medication (with once-a-day administration, controlled release) that has been recently approved by the FDA for pediatric obesity therapy. Its efficacy is significantly higher compared to orlistat and phentermine (in monotherapy), two other FDA-approved drugs for this age group. The aim of this review is to analyze the literature on the topic of phentermine and topiramate mechanism, as well as these drugs safety and efficacy as monotherapy and in combination in children and adolescents with obesity.