A drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has been shown to help combat binge eating and related obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
About 260 adults with the disorder who were treated with lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (Vyvanse) had improvements their behavior, according to researchers at the Lindner Center of HOPE in Mason, Ohio,
MedPage Today reports.
Lead researcher Susan L. McElroy, M.D., noted few medications are currently approved to treat binge eating disorders. Lisdexamfetamine is approved to treat ADHD disorder, but the drug’s maker is seeking Food and Drug Administration approval for it to be used to treat binge eating disorder.
"Confirmation of these findings in ongoing clinical trials may results in improved pharmacologic treatment for moderate to severe [binge eating disorders]," wrote the researchers, who reported their findings in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
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