Pondimin (fenfluramine) was a weight-loss drug that worked by making its users feel full and causing a loss of appetite. It worked by increasing in the brain the level of serotonin, a chemical in the body that regulates the appetite. Fenfluramine was a popular anti-obesity drug, with more than 14 million prescriptions written by 1997. In 1997, the discovery of a link between fenfluramine use and heart disease led to a world-wide ban.
History
Pondimin began marketing in the United States in 1973. Prior to Pondimin's introduction, most diet pills were amphetamine-based. Pondimin was considered an improvement, as it did not lend itself to the same kind of user abuse that amphetamines were known for. Later, Pondimin was combined with the drug phentermine to create the appetite suppressant drug combination fen-phen. Dexfenfluramine, a close chemical relative of Pondimin, was marketed as Redux in 1996. In 1997, the results of a Mayo Clinic study appeared in the Aug. 28, 1997 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine and noted a suspected correlation between pulmonary hypertension and appetite-suppressing drugs.
Side Effects
Side effects of Pondimin included drowsiness, diarrhea, headache, depression, insomnia and dry mouth. Serious side effects included increased heart rate, uneven heart rhythm, hypertension and cardiovascular collapse. It has been shown to cause heart disease, cardiac fibrosis and valvular disease, sometimes requiring surgery to repair damaged heat valves .
Studies
In a study conducted at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and published Nov. 6, 2008 by BMC Medicine, Dr. Charles F. Dahl, a cardiologist, and his colleagues followed 5,743 former fenfluramine users. The study showed that 20 percent of women and 12 percent of men had either mild aortic regurgitation or moderate mitral regurgitation. The study concluded that there was a definitive association between fenfluramine and valvular heart disease. As reported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, multiple studies have been conducted that correlate those findings, and further show that adverse health effects can continue for years after discontinuing fenfluramine use.
Banned
In 1997, Pondimin and Redux were banned from the U.S. market due to its connection with heart disease. Other countries have since followed suit, and fenfluramine is currently banned world-wide. According to the New York Times, there have been about 40,000 lawsuits lawsuits filed against fenfluramine's manufacturer, American Home Products Corp. AHP changed its name to Wyeth in 2002. In 1999, American Home Products Corp. agreed to a $3.75 billion settlement.
Phentermine
Currently, phentermine (the other half of the fen-phen combination) is still available. Phentermine came under scrutiny at the same time as fenfluramine, but, so far, studies show that it does not have any of the heart-related side effects of fenfluramine.
