Drug Factors

Many medications are associated with weight gain, a fact, which is not always recognised and these include:

• Corticosteroids – Prednisolone, Dexamethasone. Weight gain occurs especially at higher doses and causes truncal obesity
• Insulin and oral hypoglycaemic drugs – excluding Metformin
• Betablockers – including Atenolol
• Most drugs which act on the central nervous system e.g.
  • Some Antidepressants – including Citalopram and Mitazepine
  • Some Antipsychotics – Chlorpromazine, Risperidone, Olanzapine and Clozapine but excluding Aripiprazole
  • Lithium for recurrent depression, mania and bipolar disorder – Priadel, Camcolit and Liskonum
  • Some Anticonvulsants – Sodium Valproate, Phenytoin and Gabapentin but excluding topiramide
  • Some Antiretroviral agents – Stavudine and Zivoudine
  • Some oral contraceptives
  • Some Antihistamines

Amended September 2011