phentermine

[fen-ter-meen]

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a white, crystalline powder, phenyl-tertiary-butylamine hydrochloride, soluble in water and alcohol, that stimulates the central nervous system and elevates the systolic blood pressure: used chiefly in the treatment of obesity.

Word History and Origins

Origin of phentermine¹

phen(yl)-ter(tiary-butyla)mine ( hydrochloride )

Example Sentences

The ban was implemented in part because of concerns over the safety of weight-loss drugs at the time, such as the combination of fenfluramine and phentermine, or fen-phen, which was associated with life-threatening hypertension and heart valve issues.

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For example, the popular diet drug of the 1980s and 90s was fen-phen, which contained appetite suppressants fenfluramine and phentermine.

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Several approved medications for weight loss, such as phentermine or liraglutide, are now recommended for adults with obesity.

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The older group of drugs, which include appetite-suppressants phentermine/topiramate, can cost $25 to $30 a month for generic versions of the pills.

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In the late 1990s, “fen-phen” — a combination of fenfluramine and phentermine — was withdrawn after fenfluramine was linked to heart valve problems.

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