Obesity and Medications
1h 10m
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Course Overview
This Course considers how medications can contribute to weight gain and obesity, and the vicious cycle that exists with obesity being a major risk factor for some chronic diseases, treating these diseases and managing the side effects of the medicines used in treatment.
Topics include:
- Obesity in Australia
- Disease states affected by obesity
- Medicines
- Strategies for weight reduction
Target audience
All health professionals who work closely with the administration of medications that can cause weight gain, as well as patients that may be obese.
Purpose
Provide education about the pathogenesis of obesity and how medications can contribute to this condition in order to assist patients to obtain and maintain optimum weight health.
Need
Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some musculoskeletal conditions, and some cancers.
Greater awareness of medicines that adversely affect a healthy weight – especially those used in prevalent co-morbid conditions – will assist health professionals to implement weight management strategies and better educate patients to manage the side effects of these medicines. A team approach is needed to assist and encourage patients to maintain a healthy weight.
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 alternative therapies for weight reduction with education strategies to improve patient outcomes through effective weight management
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
Jenny Gowan, a practising pharmacist, is a teaching associate at Monash University, Melbourne and a clinical associate of RMIT University. She is a member of the PSA Branch committee, the Expert Group for Therapeutic Guidelines – Respiratory version 5, an editorial board member of AUS-DI, SHPA "Don’t Rush to Crush", the Guidelines Committee for the Australian Asthma Handbook (AAH) and the writing group for the RACGP ‘Medical Care of older persons in RACF’ (Silver book). Jenny is an accredited consultant pharmacist who conducts her own company, which focuses on medication reviews in the home and aged care facilities, plus education, writing, training, and consultation. Jenny works regularly in community pharmacy plus sessions in a GP clinic at a Community Health Centre. She has published over 400 educational articles. Jenny has presented talks at many Australian and international conferences to GPs, nurse practitioners, nurses, podiatrists, pharmacists, and other health professionals. In 2013, she was awarded the Australian Pharmacist of the Year by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and, in 2016, the AACP-MIMs Australian Consultant Pharmacist of the Year.
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Further Learning
Learner Reviews

Frances Browne
interesting topic
Nicole Lynch
full of great information to assist the obese patient

Lorin Blagdon
Informative

Michelle Lipman
Interesting presentation.

Gillian Carne
Great talk, confronting statistics

yan zhang
informative video.

Jinju Rajeev
good

Hellene Heron
Interesting

Cheryl Carpenter
good video

Ellie Alizadeh
Thorough and very clear
15 Total Rating(s)