Open AccessA Double‐Blind Randomized Placebo‐Controlled Trial of Sibutramine
Author(s) -
Bray George A.,
Ryan Donna H.,
Gordon Douglas,
Heidingsfelder Sylvia,
Cerise Frederick,
Wilson Krause
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
obesity research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1550-8528
pISSN - 1071-7323
DOI - 10.1002/j.1550-8528.1996.tb00544.x
Subject(s) - sibutramine , placebo , medicine , weight loss , reuptake inhibitor , randomized controlled trial , double blind , body weight , pharmacology , anesthesia , serotonin , obesity , alternative medicine , receptor , pathology
Sibutramine is a β‐phenethylamine which blocks reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin. In this clinical study, a group of 173 patients were randomized to treatment with sibutramine at doses of 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 mg/d and were compared with placebo in a 24‐week double‐blind trial. There was a dose‐dependent reduction in body weight, with doses of 10, 15, 20 and 30 mg being significantly greater than placebo. Weight loss was still continuing in the highest three doses at the end of the study. When drugs were discontinued patients regained weight, as expected. Side effects were generally mild and were most evident in the group treated with the highest dose. These studies suggest that sibutramine may be a valuable new drug for treatment of obesity.