Pharmacologic treatment of eating disorders

Abstract

Increased research focusing on the eating disorders has put the clinician on firmer ground when choosing appropriate psychopharmacologic treatments. Recent studies of patients with bulimia demonstrate that treatment with antidepressant medications may substantially reduce symptoms of bingeing and vomiting. The efficacy of pharmacologic approaches to anorexia nervosa is more uncertain, in part because of the limited availability of long-term follow-up studies. The judicious use of appetite suppressant medications, as reviewed in the text, is helpful for mild to moderate obesity. In treating these disorders, the clinician needs to integrate medication treatment with psychotherapeutic and behavioral treatment approaches.