A 50-year-old patient with a body mass index (BMI) of 26 and a waist circumference (WC) of 37 who smokes asks a nurse about drugs for weight loss. She tells the nurse, "I keep trying to eat less, but it doesn't work." What will the nurse do?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Drug therapy can be used for people at increased health risk, such as this woman, but only as an adjunct to diet and exercise and only after a 6-month diet and exercise regimen has failed. The first step should be to ask the patient to keep a log of intake and activity so that she is aware of how many calories she consumes and how many she burns. Counseling her to quit smoking is appropriate in terms of overall health but does not address her current concern. Exercise without diet is not effective, although exercise is a useful adjunct to diet modification. The patient is not a candidate for drug therapy until she has tried a diet and exercise program for 6 months.

A 50-Year-Old Patient with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 26