Drugs Affecting Body Weight, Body Fat Distribution, and Metabolic Function-Mechanisms and Possible Therapeutic or Preventive Measures: an Update.

Purpose Of Review: Weight gain and body fat redistribution are common side effects of many widely used drugs. We summarize recent literature on prevalence data and mechanisms associated with drug-induced body fat changes and mechanisms to prevent or treat metabolic side effects.

Recent Findings: The highest prevalence of metabolic complications is seen with antipsychotics and antiretroviral drugs used in the treatment of HIV and may, at least partly, be responsible for the increased risk for co-morbid diseases such as diabetes, steatosis of the liver, and cardiovascular disease.