Anorexia Nervosa: Pharmacologic Treatments

Anorexia Nervosa: Pharmacologic Treatments

Medical Treatments: The Basics

Anorexia nervosa has been recognized by physicians for more than a century, but there is still no generally accepted pharmacologic treatment. Anorexia Nervosa can lead to significantly impaired functioning in its victims along with a considerable morbidity. The pursuit of thinness is the central feature of AN, and the patients usually have a variety of other psychological disorders which makes treatment very challenging and difficult. No medication has proven to be generally useful in promoting or maintaining weight gain, thus cognitive-behavioral therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment. (Hoffman et al)

According to Dr. Philip W. Long, "A therapist must win the cooperation of the patient by emphasizing that treatment can free the patient from the obsessive thoughts about food and body weight that have become the sole focus of the patient's life." In addition, depression, physical well-being, and social relationships can be improved through various treatments.

(http://www. mentalhealth.com/rx/p23-et01.html#Head_1c)

Pharmacology in the Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa

Many medications have been used in the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa. Of these different pharmacological treatments, there have been very few large scale, controlled studies demonstrating their effectiveness. Several of these medications, however, have proved useful in facilitating weight gain during the nutritional rehabilitation phase of treatment. This website discusses these different treatments, explains why they were used and their possible side effects, and the overall validity of their effectiveness as a treatment.

Antipsychotic Drugs

The most common form of this drug which is administered to AN patients is chlorpromazine. If prescribed, it is usually given to severely obsessive-compulsive, anxious, and agitated AN patients. This drug is a neuroleptic or dopamine antagonist in the brain, and the theory which serves as the basis of this treatment revolves around the idea that certain characteristics of anorexia nervosa might reflect central nervous system dopaminergic activity. Some scientists theorize that these dopaminergic activities cause this eating disorder among other things. In certain clinical experiences, chlorpromazine has been shown to be somewhat effective in inducing hunger and weight gain, but others have shown no such effects along with some serious side effects. These include grand mal seizures and in increase in the development of bulimia.

In summary, there is an absence of clear evidence as to the effectiveness of this drug as a treatment and with its potential for unwanted side effects, it is rarely used. (Walsh and Devlin)