There were 73 hospitalizations for severe adverse events, with no significant differences among the three study groups.
Only three such events were deemed to be possibly related to the intervention: two cholecystectomies, and one case of syncope. In addition, sibutramine was discontinued in seven patients because of blood pressure elevation, tachycardia, or anxiety; and orlistat was discontinued in five patients because of gastrointestinal symptoms.
“Although our study has shown that primary care personnel can provide effective weight-management support, it has not addressed the more challenging question of who will pay for these or related weight-loss interventions,” the researchers noted.
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Source Elsevier Global Medical News