Appetite stimulants can be administered either temporarily while diagnostic tests are completed and long-term treatment is implemented or chronically to maintain body condition and muscle mass in patients with conditions such as chronic kidney disease or neoplasia. These drugs can also be useful in diabetic patients with inconsistent appetites. In dogs and cats, commonly used oral appetite stimulants (eg, mirtazapine, capromorelin, cyproheptadine) act centrally on receptors that control feeding behavior.
Use of injectable benzodiazepines and propofol for short-term induction of food intake in anorexic hospitalized patients has been described in the literature.1,2 Anabolic steroids, megestrol acetate, and glucocorticoids also increase appetite, but their clinical use is limited.