Obesity and Medicines

Course Overview

Why is it that some medicines can cause people to gain weight whilst others may assist people to lose weight? Explore obesity and medicines now!

Topics

• What disease states are affected by obesity?
• Which antidepressant agents cause the most weight gain?
• When are weight-loss medicines contraindicated?
• How serious are adverse effects of weight-loss medicines?
• Strategies for weight reduction.

Need

Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some musculoskeletal conditions and some cancers. As the level of excess weight increases, so too does the risk of developing these conditions. In addition, being overweight can hamper the ability to control or manage chronic disorders.

Medicines can contribute to both weight reduction and weight gain. Greater awareness of medicines that adversely affect a healthy weight – especially those used in prevalent comorbid conditions – will assist nurses to implement weight management strategies and better educate patients to manage the side effects of these medicines.

Purpose

The purpose of this Ausmed Course is to provide education for nurses to understand the pathogenesis of obesity and how medications can contribute to this condition in order to minimise risk and assist patients to obtain and maintain optimum health.

Learning Outcomes

• Identify the prevalence of the obesity epidemic in Australia in order to enhance delivery of sensitive and appropriate care.
• Correlate obesity with co-morbid conditions to improve patient outcomes through the implementation of weight reduction strategies.
• Use your understanding of specific medicines that cause weight gain in order to improve patient’s quality of life by managing the side effects of these medicines.
• Link therapies for weight reduction with education strategies to improve patient outcomes through effective weight management.

Target Audience

Healthcare professionals who work with patients with diet-related disease or who routinely administer medicines that can cause weight gain.

Disclosure

No conflict of interest exists for anyone in the position to control content for this activity. Wherever possible, generic or non-proprietary names of medications or products have been used.

Educator

Jenny Gowan View profile

Dr Jenny Gowan is a practicing pharmacist, adjunct senior lecturer at Monash University and clinical associate at RMIT University. She has published over 500 educational articles, has copious experience in presentations and lectures and runs a consulting pharmacy company. Jenny was awarded the 2013 PSA Australian Pharmacist of the Year award and the 2016 AACP-MIMs Consultant Pharmacist of the Year Award.