Pharmaceutical company Sanofi Aventis manufactures rimonabant. It is generic name of the branded medication Acomplia. It is an obesity treatment medication.



What is obesity?

Obesity is a serious condition wherein a person has more weight than is healthy. Obesity leads to various diseases that may prove to be fatal, if timely action is not taken. Some of the diseases caused by obesity are diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cancer.

Many countries are facing more and more hospital cases because of obesity; financial losses are also mounting because of the condition. Cases of morbid obesity are also rising and this condition is highly fatal. In order to avoid obesity turning into morbid obesity, it is very important that you take steps to lose weight.

You should first try to lose weight with conventional methods such as dieting and exercising. If however, you do not lose weight with the help of these methods, you can consult a doctor and ask him to suggest some weight loss aids.

Causes of obesity

Obesity can be caused by genetic factors, hormonal problems and lifestyle factors. Sometimes environmental factors also play a big role in obesity. If your family members and relatives are obese then your obesity is caused by genetic factors. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, do not exercise much and eat a lot of junk food then you stand a high chance of becoming obese.

Whether your obesity is caused by lifestyle or environmental or any factors, it is important to fight it. Ask a doctor if you can take Acomplia or any other obesity medication.

Obesity medication Acomplia

Acomplia was approved for use in obese patient on 28th June 2006 in the UK. The active ingredient in Acomplia is rimonabant. It is a prescription drug for obesity.

Acomplia is an obesity treatment for obese patients with a BMI of 30 and above. It can also be taken by overweight patients with other risk factors such as type 2 diabetes or dyslipidaemia. Acomplia reduces the risk of obesity related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Although Acomplia is an obesity drug, it is also beneficial for smoking cessation. However, this benefit of Acomplia is not yet approved for use.

Acomplia has been shown to have beneficial effect on blood glucose and fat levels. Moreover, it raises HDL cholesterol levels (good cholesterol).

Acomplia clinical trials

Following are the results of Acomplia clinical trials:

• 33% patients who were given Acomplia in clinical trials lost more than 10% of their original body weight



• 67% patients on Acomplia lost more than 5% of their initial body weight



• Patients on placebo and calorie-controlled diet lost significantly lower weight compared to those on Acomplia



• Patients who took Acomplia for more than a year did not regain weight

Ingredients, strength, side effects of Acomplia

The active ingredient in Acomplia is rimonabant, which is a CB-1 receptor antagonist. Acomplia works as an appetite suppressant. You can get Acomplia in 10mg and 20mg dosage strengths. Never take Acomplia for cosmetic purposes, it is a prescription medication and should be taken under a doctor's guidance only.

Acomplia has few side effects such as nausea, dizziness, diarrhoea, vomiting, hypoglycaemia, anxiety, and mood swings. Most side effects of Acomplia are temporary in nature and go away as your body adjusts to the medication. Acomplia side effects are also transient and reversible in nature and disappear when you stop the treatment.