Medications for Treatment of Unintentional Weight Loss

Assessment and Selection of Medications

• The American Medical Association recommends assessing the underlying cause of weight loss, considering patient-specific factors, and evaluating expected survival when selecting medications for unintentional weight loss, as outlined in the JAMA guidelines 1
• The Gastroenterology society suggests considering patient-specific factors, such as presence of edema, history of psychiatric conditions, and cardiovascular disease, when selecting medications for unintentional weight loss 2

Medications to Counteract Medication-Induced Weight Loss

• The American Gastroenterological Association recommends considering metformin (1000 mg daily) or topiramate (100 mg daily) to counteract weight loss from antipsychotics, as well as switching to weight-neutral alternatives within medication classes, such as mirtazapine, paroxetine, and amitriptyline for antidepressants 1, 3
• The Gastroenterology society also recommends switching from weight-neutral options to those associated with weight gain, such as olanzapine, clozapine, quetiapine, and risperidone for antipsychotics, and gabapentin, pregabalin, valproic acid, and carbamazepine for antiepileptics 2, 4