Updated
September 2007- Phentermine
is a drug that is commonly prescribed in the United States for weight
loss. It acts as an appetite suppressant by intercepting the body’s
hunger signal to the brain. The
FDA
recommends that the drug be used for no more than twelve weeks with close
monitoring by a doctor, along with a plan of diet and exercise. It is an amphetamine
and labeled a controlled substance. Patients may develop a serious
addiction to the drug.
The drug was
combined with fenfluramine and sold as the diet drug
Fen-Phen.
Fenfluramine also works at suppressing appetite by making someone think they
are full. A study in 1992 found that the Phentermine and fenfluramine
combination worked better than diet and exercise to help someone lose
weight.
In 1997
there were 24 cases of heart valve disease in people taking Fen-Phen. A
closer look at those taking the drug combination found that there was a
thickening of the heart valves. Later studies found that up to 30 percent
of the people that had taken the drug showed signs of heart valve
disease.
Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) is the name of the heart
valve disease associated with Fen-Phen. Fenfluramine
was taken off the market. Although the drug is no longer available it may
take years for side effects to be felt. Phentermine continued to be
available to patients.
Phentermine
on its own has a lengthy list of side effects to watch for. Insomnia is a
common complaint of patients taking the drug. It may also increase blood
pressure and heart rate. Heart palpitations, restlessness, and
irritability are also common side effects.
In 2007, the
Institute for Safe Medication Practices and the Division of Public Health
Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, conducted a longitudinal
Adverse Events Reporting System Review of the U.S. FDA's
most dangerous drugs.
The study found Phentermine to be one of the most dangerous drugs on the market
with one of the highest numbers of adverse drug event reports.
Phentermine was the eleventh most dangerous drug, according to the FDA
reports. Over the eight years of the study, phentermine was found to have
caused over 4,600 events resulting in disability or serious outcome requiring
medical treatment.
If you have
taken any of these drug products, it may be important to visit your doctor. In
addition, it may be important to
contactan attorney who can help you protect your legal rights and ensure that you
receive your fair share of the settlement. Please keep in mind that there may
be
time limits
within which you must file your claim.
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See Also
- Diet Drugs