Adderall is a prescription medication manufactured by Shire Pharmaceuticals containing a mixture of amphetamine salts (75% dextroamphetamine and 25% levoamphetamine). It was first approved by the FDA in 1996 for the management of ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and was later approved for the treatment of narcolepsy. The medication is manufactured in multiple formats including: an immediate …
Kybella (Deoxycholic acid) is an injectable medication engineered by Kythera Biopharmaceuticals and approved by the FDA in April 2015 for the management of moderate-to-severe submental fat (fat beneath the chin) in adults. Reducing the appearance of a protruding “double chin” with Kybella entails visiting a medical professional to receive a series of subcutaneous [deoxycholic acid] …
Buspar (Buspirone) is a drug of the azapirone chemical classification that was engineered and patented in the 1970s by Mead Johnson. It was later acquired by the pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb and approved by the FDA in 1986 for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). What’s unique about buspirone compared to other anxiolytics such …
Belviq (Lorcaserin) is an anorectic medication manufactured by Arena Pharmaceuticals for the long-term management of obesity. As of 2012, the FDA approved lorcaserin to promote weight loss in adults with: BMIs exceeding 30 or BMIs exceeding 27 plus [at least] one weight-related medical comorbidity such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and/or hypertension. Upon administration, lorcaserin functions primarily …
Pindolol is a beta blocker initially synthesized by the pharmaceutical company Sandoz in the 1960s. As of 1977 it received FDA approval for the management of hypertension and was sold under the brand name “Visken.” Pharmacologically, pindolol acts as a non-selective beta blocker, meaning it competitively binds to all 3 beta-adrenergic receptor sites (Beta-1, Beta-2, …
Phentermine is a sympathomimetic amine [derived from amphetamine] initially approved by the FDA in 1959 for the treatment of obesity. Its usage in the treatment of obesity was considered ideal due to the fact that phentermine suppressed appetite through central modulation of norepinephrine, and peripherally mobilized fat stores through catecholaminergic upregulation. That said, in the …
Phentermine is an anorectic medication utilized principally for the short-term treatment of obesity as an adjunct to caloric restriction, dietary modifications, and physical exercise. It is formally classified as a psychostimulant due to the fact that it increases mental and physical arousal [via sympathomimetic mechanisms]. Specifically, phentermine facilitates central and peripheral catecholamine release (primarily of …