Psychopharmacologic treatment of eating disorders: emerging findings.

Abstract

Psychopharmacologic treatment is playing a greater role in the management of patients with eating disorders. In this paper, we review randomized, placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), and other eating disorders over the past 3 years. Fluoxetine remains the only medication approved for an eating disorder, that being BN. RCTs of antipsychotics in AN have had mixed results; the only agent with some evidence of efficacy is olanzapine. One study suggests dronabinol may induce weight gain in AN. Preliminary studies suggest lack of efficacy of alprazolam, dehydroepiandrosterone, or physiologic estrogen replacement in AN; erythromycin in BN; and the opioid antagonist ALKS-33 in BED. In BED with obesity or overweight, bupropion may cause mild weight loss without seizures, and chromium may improve glucose regulation. Also in BED, three RCTs suggest the stimulant prodrug lisdexamfetamine may reduce binge eating episodes, and another RCT suggests intranasal naloxone may decrease time spent binge eating. There remains a disconnection between the size of eating disorders as a public health problem and the lack of pharmacotherapy research of these conditions.

• Authors: Susan L McElroy, Anna I Guerdjikova, Nicole Mori, Paul E Keck Jr
• Journal: Current psychiatry reports (Curr Psychiatry Rep) Vol. 17 Issue 5 Pg. 35 (May 2015) ISSN: 1535-1645 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25796197 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• ALKS-33
• Anti-Obesity Agents
• Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
• Antipsychotic Agents
• Central Nervous System Stimulants
• Chromium Compounds
• Morphinans
• Narcotic Antagonists
• Bupropion
• Naloxone
• Baclofen
• Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate

Topics

• Administration, Intranasal
• Anorexia Nervosa (drug therapy)
• Anti-Obesity Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation (therapeutic use)
• Antipsychotic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Baclofen (therapeutic use)
• Binge-Eating Disorder (complications, drug therapy)
• Bulimia Nervosa (complications, drug therapy)
• Bupropion (therapeutic use)
• Central Nervous System Stimulants (therapeutic use)
• Chromium Compounds (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate (therapeutic use)
• Morphinans (therapeutic use)
• Naloxone (administration & dosage)
• Narcotic Antagonists (therapeutic use)
• Obesity (etiology, prevention & control)
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic