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Reductil (sibutramine) is a medication that, if used in conjunction with a healthy diet, can help people who are suffering from obesity to successfully lose weight. Reductil works by enhancing the feeling of fullness after eating less than normal, as part of a calorie reduced diet.
Reductil is a licensed obesity treatment method for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, and those with a BMI of 27 or higher who also have other obesity related risk factors, such as type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol. Reductil is only prescribed to people in these categories who have had difficulty achieving or maintaining weight loss of more than five per cent of their body weight over three months, using conventional weight loss programmes alone (eg diet and exercise).
Use Reductil with caution in:
- Mild to moderately decreased kidney function
- Mild to moderately decreased liver function
- Epilepsy
- Open angle glaucoma
- Family history of glaucoma
- Family history of involuntary, recurrent muscle twitches or vocalisations (motor or verbal tics)
- History of depression
- People at increased risk of bleeding
- People taking medicine to prevent blood clotting (anticoagulants, eg warfarin)
- Syndrome involving short spells when breathing stops during sleep.
Patients suffering from hypertension or heart problems should take Reductil only after doctor approves it and you are sure about how Reductil can affect you as usage of Reductil by such patients may result in sudden increase in blood pressure or pulse rate. If you fail to reduce at least 5% of your body weight over a period of 12 weeks, your doctor might ask you to stop taking Reductil.
You should monitor the blood pressure and heart rate of all patients who have been prescribed Reductil. During the first three months of treatment, blood pressure and heart rate should be checked every two weeks; monthly during the second three months of treatment and at intervals not exceeding three months thereafter.
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