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OPTIFAST® VLCD™ must be taken under the supervision of a healthcare professional such as a Pharmacist, Doctor, Specialist or Accredited Practicing Dietitian. Research has shown that having the support and guidance of a healthcare professional will make the program more successful. As a healthcare professional, you can tailor the plan to suit your patients’ specific likes and dislikes, medical conditions, nutritional needs, physical activity levels and lifestyle. If your patient has a co-existing medical condition then you may need to monitor them more closely or even adjust their medication dosage.
It is recommended that once a patient has commenced on the Intensive phase of the OPTIFAST® VLCD™ Program they should be followed up fortnightly for check-ups, weight and waist circumference monitoring, advice and encouragement.
Patients can be classified as low medical risk, or high medical risk when following a VLCD. For all patients, regular monitoring of weight, BMI, waist circumference and blood pressure is recommended during the Intensive phase of the OPTIFAST® VLCD™ Program. Regular blood monitoring is important during the Intensive phase of the OPTIFAST® VLCD™ Program for ‘high risk’ patients because of the risk of electrolyte imbalance.
| High Medical Risk Patient | Low Medical Risk Patient |
|---|---|
| BMI>27 plus co-morbidities | No co-morbidities |
| BMI>35 | BMI<35 |
| Taking prescribed medications during the VLED | No prescription medications |
| Greater than 65 years of age | Less than 65 years of age |
| Assessment | Baseline Measures | Fortnightly |
|---|---|---|
| Weight/BMI | #yes | #yes |
| Waist Circumference | #yes | #yes |
| Blood Pressure | #yes | #yes |
| Assessment | Baseline Measures | 6 weeks | Completion of Intensive Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrolytes/ Creatinine | #yes | If required | #yes |
| Liver function tests | #yes | If required | #yes |
| Fasting Glucose | #yes | If required | #yes |
| Cholesterol/ Triglycerides/ HDL | #yes | If required | #yes |
| Uric acid | #yes | If required | #yes |
| Full Blood Count | #yes | If required | #yes |
| Iron Studies | #yes | If required | #yes |
| Vitamin D | #yes | If required | #yes |
| Calcium & Parathyroid (in patients on long term anticonvulsants) | #yes | If required | #yes |
Optifast® VLCD™ is a food for special medical purposes and must be used under the supervision of a health care professional.
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