Gelesis100 | |
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Other names | Plenity Oral superabsorbent hydrogel |
Gelesis100, sold under the brand name Plenity, is an oral hydrogel used to treat overweight and obesity. [1] It absorbs water and expands in the stomach and small bowel thereby increasing feelings of fullness. Possible side effects include primarily gastrointestinal symptoms, [2] such as diarrhea, abdominal distention, infrequent bowel movements, constipation, abdominal pain, and flatulence. [3] It is contraindicated in pregnancy, chronic malabsorption syndromes, and cholestasis. [1] The US Food and Drug Administration approved it in 2019 as a medical device. Gelesis100 was developed by the company Gelesis.
The US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Gelesis100 in April 2019 as a medical device. [4] Gelesis100 is the first treatment of its kind for overweight and obesity. [2] In 2022, the American Gastroenterology Association published a guideline for the management of obesity, which recommended the use of Gelesis100 be limited to clinical trials due to limited evidence. [5]
Gelesis100 is used to treat obesity and overweight as an anti-obesity medication. [1] Gelesis100 is taken as a pill before meals with water. [6] [7]
Gelesis100 has been criticized for its small impact on weight loss relative to side effects. [8]
Gelesis100 is an oral superabsorbent hydrogel, which is produced from carboxymethylcellulose and citric acid. [1] [9] The cross-linked product forms a hydrophilic matrix, which absorbs water. [1] Taken in capsule form by mouth, [10] as Gelesis100 absorbs water, it expands in the stomach and small intestine. [3] [6] After absorbing water, a semisolid gel structure forms, which may promote satiety and result in weight loss [1] via reduced caloric intake. [5]
Gelesis100 is contraindicated in pregnancy, chronic malabsorption syndromes, and cholestasis. [1]
Side effects consist of minor gastrointestinal symptoms, [2] including diarrhea, abdominal distention, infrequent bowel movements, constipation, abdominal pain, and flatulence. [3] Gelesis100 is not associated with any severe adverse events. [11] However, long-term safety data beyond 24 weeks is not available. [11]
Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative affects on health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's weight divided by the square of the person's height—is over 30 kg/m2; the range 25–30 kg/m2 is defined as overweight. Some East Asian countries use lower values to calculate obesity. Obesity is a major cause of disability and is correlated with various diseases and conditions, particularly cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
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Radiation enteropathy is a syndrome that may develop following abdominal or pelvic radiation therapy for cancer. Many affected people are cancer survivors who had treatment for cervical cancer or prostate cancer; it has also been termed pelvic radiation disease with radiation proctitis being one of the principal features.
SeHCAT is a drug used in a clinical test to diagnose bile acid malabsorption.
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