OBESITY

INTRODUCTION: Morbid obesity is the term applied to people whose body weigh more than twice their ideal body weight, or those whose body mass index (BMI) exceeds 30 kg/m2. BMI is the patient’s weight in Kgs divided by the patient’s height in metres squared. Patients with morbid obesity are at higher risk for health complications, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and other breathing problems. Diabetes: Stroke: Hypertension

Such patients are also prone to some forms of cancer including but not limited to; uterine, breast, colorectal, kidney, and gallbladder neoplasms. They frequently suffer from low self-esteem, impaired body image, and depression.

MEDICAL MANAGEMENT: A weight loss diet in conjunction with behavioral modification and exercise is usually unsuccessful.

Pharmacologic Management:  Sibutramine HCl decreases appetite by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. Orlistat reduces caloric intake by inhibiting digestion of triglycerides. multivitamin is usually recommended. Rimonabant blocks the cannabinoid-1 receptor that is thought to play an important role in some aspects of human metabolism, including obesity.

SURGICAL MANAGEMENT: Bariatric surgery (surgery for morbid obesity) includes gastric restriction procedures such as gastric bypass and vertical banded gastroplasty (performed laparoscopically or by open surgical technique). Body contouring after weight loss involves lipoplasty to remove fat deposits or a panniculectomy to remove excess abdominal skinfolds.

RELATED;

1.  METABOLISM AND METABOLIC DISORDERS

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