Sibutramine and Duromine are two of the well-known drugs for the treatment of obesity. Both drugs are very effective but work through different mechanisms. The side effects though are more or less similar in nature. But that does not mean that both drugs are interchangeable. This detailed guide covers all the aspects of Sibutramine vs Duromine to help you understand the differences between the two.
Introduction to Sibutramine and Duromine:
What is Sibutramine and what are its uses?
Sibutramine is a Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor with a portion of Serotonin that is majorly used for the purpose of weight loss. Depending on the overall health and obesity level of the patient, the pills can be used for long-term as well as short-term treatment.
People who want to achieve a 5-10% weight deduction from the baseline weight generally use this drug. Its trade name is Meridia in the United States of America and Reductil in Europe countries and other countries.
What is Duromine and what are its uses?
Duromine is an anti-obesity drug used by people who wish to reduce excess weight. This medication works best in combination with healthy food and physical activities. It works by stimulating the central nervous system and creating an illusion of less appetite. Duromine does it by manipulating heart rate and blood pressure.
Duromine is used to reduce body weight by those who are obsessed with being overweight. This drug affects your brain area and controls your appetite which makes you feel less hungry.
Sibutramine vs Duromine: Covering all the points of differences
This section includes criteria(dosage, side effects, precaution, active/inactive components) on which the comparison will be made.
Dosage:
Sibutramine is prescribed at a starting dose of 10 mg to almost 90% of the adults. The dose is then increased gradually to 15 mg and further if the body reacts properly with the medicine. There are very few chances of reducing the dose to 5 mg(lowest dose). The pediatric dose is best for children between 14 to 17 years. This dose starts from 10 mg oral consumption once a day.
Duromine is prescribed 15 to 37.5 mg once a day depending on the body’s reaction towards the medication. It is generally advised to be taken 1-2 hours before breakfast. If you can not consume the dose all at once, your doctor might advise you to take the dose in three different phases dividing it into three doses of 8 mg.
Active and Inactive Components:
Active components of Sibutramine include Sibutramine Hydrochloride Monohydrate whereas the inactive ingredients are Microcrystalline Cellulose, D&C Yellow No. 10, Colloidal Silicon Dioxide, FD&C Blue No. 2, Magnesium Stearate, Gelatin, Hard-Gelatin Capsule and Titanium Dioxide.
The active ingredient of Duromine is Phentermine Hydrochloride. Whereas the inactive ones are Starch, Gelatin, Sucrose, D&C Red No. 28, Hypromellose, FD&C Blue No.1, Povidones, and Talc.
Side effects:
The side effects of Sibutramine and Duromine are both mild and serious. These effects vary from person to person depending metabolism of the person.
Side effects of Sibutramine:
- Dry mouth
- Insomnia
- Asthenia
- Amnesia
- Uneven Heartbeats
- Hallucinations
- Dilated pupils
- Headache
- Obstipation
- Rapid Mood Change
- Agitation
- Nosebleeds
- Buzzing in your ears
Side effects of Duromine:
- High Blood Pressure
- Trouble Sleeping
- Restlessness
- Tremor
- Fainting
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nervousness
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Stomach cramps
- Trouble Urinating
- Sexual Problems
Overdose Symptoms and signs: Sibutramine vs Duromine
Overdose usually happens when a missed dose is taken with the next dose or if the patient becomes addicted to the pills. It can easily be avoided if you stick to the dose prescribed by your doctor. Overdose can also be identified by looking out for some significant signs and symptoms.
Sibutramine overdose symptoms and signs have Cardiovascular, Neurological, and Gastrointestinal effects. Cardiovascular effects include hypertension, palpitations, tachycardia, and chest pain. Neurological effects include headache, serotonin syndrome, anxiety, paresthesia, irritation, dizziness, and insomnia.
Symptoms of overdose for Duromine include Hyperreflexia, Disorientation, Abdominal cramps, Assaultiveness, Restlessness, Euphoria, Tremor, CNS Depression, and coma(extreme overdosing). These can also be some cardiovascular effects such as Circulatory Collapse, Arrhythmias, Hypotension, and Hypertension.
Warning and precautions:
Sibutramine: Warning and precautions
- Do not take any other weight-loss medicine while you are on the Sibutramine medication.
- The medication is most likely to impair your reflexes for some period of time, so during that period avoid driving or doing any activity that requires attention.
- Avoid taking Sibutramine with alcohol. Simply take the medicine with water.
- Do not take MAO inhibitors with Sibutramine. This reaction of two can cause a low drop in blood pressure. MAO inhibitors include Marplan, Nardil, Azilect, Furoxone, Eldepryl, Emsam, and Parnate.
- Do not take the pills(or be extremely careful) if you have the following health conditions:
- High Blood Pressure
- Epilepsy
- Underactive Thyroid
- Atherosclerosis
- Heart Rhythm Disorder
- Bulimia
- Glaucoma
- Kidney Disease
- Gallstones
- Liver Disease
- Blood Clotting Disorder
Warning and precautions regarding Duromine:
- Before starting the medicine, be sure that you are not allergic to Phentermine or any other similar composition medicine.
- Be sure to tell your doctor if you are suffering from Valvular heart disease. These include cardiac valvular disease, aortic or tricuspid valves, etc. Duromine is capable of reacting with the medicines used for the treatment of Valvular heart disease which could be harmful to your health.
- Tell your doctor if you are on Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors such as fluvoxamine, sertraline, fluoxetine, or paroxetine. Along with that be on a special lookout for ergot-derived drugs too.
Drug Interactions:
The drug interactions include all the drugs that can react with the active or inactive ingredients of Sibutramine and Duromine. These interactive drugs are harmful to the body as they can increase the risk of exposure to side effects as well as decrease the metabolism of the body.
Interactions of Sibutramine:
There are various drugs that react to Sibutramine. They can be categorized into approved, vet-approved, nutraceutical, illicit, withdrawn, investigational, and experimental drugs
- Approved Interactional Drugs: Abacavir, Abciximab, Aceclofenac, 1,2-Benzodiazepine, Acebutolol, Albutrepenonacog alfa, Alteplase, Ammonium chloride, Zuclopenthixol and Zolpidem.
- Vet-Approved Interactional Drugs: Cefadroxil, Cefalotin, Ampicillin, Acetazolamide, Alfaxalone, Acetylsalicylic acid, Amikacin, Cefpodoxime, Amitraz, Amoxicillin, Cefapirin, Cephalexin, Enflurane and Droperidol.
- Nutraceutical Interactional Drugs: Evening primrose oil, Chondroitin sulfate, Choline salicylate, Clove oil, Cyanocobalamin, Ephedra sinica root, Folic acid, Icosapent ethyl, and Melatonin.
- Illicit Interactional Drugs: Amobarbital, Barbital, 5-methoxy-N, Bufotenine, N-dimethyltryptamine, Alphacetylmethadol, Alprazolam, Aprobarbital, Bezitramide, Bromazepam, and Butabarbital.
- Withdrawn Interactional Drugs: Benzquinamide, Alprenolol, Bromocriptine, Ardeparin, Alosetron, Ancestim, Aurothioglucose, Benactyzine, Bitolterol, Boceprevir, Brotizolam, and Butriptyline.
- Investigational Interactional Drugs: Amediplase, Agomelatine, Acenocoumarol, (S)-Warfarin, Alverine, 3,5-diiodothyropropionic acid, Abediterol, Acemetacin, Almotriptan, Adipiplon, Adenosine, and Adefovir dipivoxil.
- Experimental Interactional Drugs: (R)-warfarin, Adinazolam, Aceprometazine, 7-Nitroindazole, Alcuronium, Allobarbital, Acetylglycinamide chloral hydrate, and 7,8-Dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline.
Interactions of Duromine:
- Approved Interactional Drugs: Bepridil, Abametapir, Benzphetamine, Bepotastine, Calcium ascorbate, Triprolidine, Dimetindene, Diflunisal, Aclidinium, Alimemazine, Zotepine, Zonisamide, Troleandomycin, and Troglitazone.
- Vet-Approved Interactional Drugs: Etorphine, Acepromazine, Buprenorphine, Atropine, Cyclosporine, Fluoxetine, Chlorothiazide, Firocoxib, Butorphanol, Epinephrine, Diphemanil, Doxylamine, Erythromycin, Etodolac, Fentanyl, Flunixin, Furazolidone, Furosemide and Glycopyrronium.
- Nutraceutical Interactional Drugs: Icosapent, Ascorbic acid, Niacinamide ascorbate, Citric acid, Ephedra sinica root, Glutamic acid, Tyramine, Magnesium ascorbate, Palmidrol, Serotonin, Sodium ascorbate, Tretinoin, Tryptophan, and Zinc ascorbate.
- Illicit Interactional Drugs: 4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine, Alfentanil, Amineptine, Alphaprodine, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylamphetamine, and 4-methoxyamphetamine.
- Withdrawn Interactional Drugs: Alclofenac, Benoxaprofen, Adrafinil, Acetohexamide, Benfluorex, Azapropazone, Aminophenazone, Benmoxin, Dextropropoxyphene, Cisapride, Chlorphentermine, and Caroxazone.
- Investigational Interactional Drugs: Acetohexamide, Treprostinil, Ambrisentan, Aluminum Hydroxide, Angiotensin 1-7, Amitriptylinoxide, Arformoterol, Yohimbine, Zolmitriptan, YKP-1358, Trazodone, Tramadol, Tolfenamic acid and Alectinib.
- Experimental Interactional Drugs: Geldanamycin, Alaproclate, Epanolol, Carbutamide, Dimetacrine, Fenozolone, Iprindole, Gepefrine, Icotinib, Imipramine oxide, Insulin arginine, and Lofepramine.
Final Thoughts:
The this, our blog comes to an end. We can conclude that both Sibutramine and Duromine work perfectly given the right circumstances. You should not decide the appropriate on the basis of side effects, precautions, or warnings. It solemnly depends on how the body accepts and reacts to the medication. Before choosing a medicine be sure to share your entire medical history with your doctor.
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