fen-phen

American  

[fen-fen] / ˈfɛnˌfɛn /

Or fen/phen

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a drug that is a combination of fenfluramine and phentermine, formerly used in treating obesity but withdrawn from the market because of its potential to cause valvular heart disease.

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Etymology

Origin of fen-phen

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

In 1999, in Canton, Texas, a 36-year-old woman facing lifelong heart problems that she blamed on the diet drug combination fen-phen was awarded $23.3 million in the first such lawsuit to reach a jury.

From Washington Times • Aug. 6, 2018

Vivus said its pill worked in a different way from "fen-phen" and did not have the same heart valve problems.

From Reuters • Jul. 18, 2012

In a rare move, the FDA explicitly stated in a press release that Belviq “does not appear to activate” a receptor that was linked to the heart problems seen with fen-phen.

From Salon • Jun. 27, 2012

A month later, The New England Journal of Medicine published an article linking fen-phen to heart valve abnormalities.

From New York Times • May 10, 2012

The diet drug fenfluramine, which was half of the fen-phen combination, was withdrawn in 1997 after it was linked with heart damage.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 12, 2010