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Anorectics, anorexigenics or appetite suppressants, are substances which reduce the desire to eat. Used on a short term basis clinically to treat obesity, some appetite suppressants are also available over the counter. Drugs of this class are frequently stimulants of the phenethylamine family, related to amphetamine (speed). Indeed, amphetamine itself was sold commercially as an appetite suppressant until it was outlawed in most parts of the world in the late 1950s due to increasing exploitation of its stimulant properties ("abuse"). Many amphetamines produce side effects including addiction, tachycardia and hypertension, making prolonged unsupervised use dangerous. Epidemics of fatal pulmonary hypertension and heart valve damage associated with anorectic agents have led to the withdrawal of products from the market. This was the case with aminorex in the 1960s, and again in the 1990sCenturies: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 2030s 2040s Years: Events and trends Computers, technology Explosive growth of the Internet; decrease in the cost of computers and other techn with fenfluramineFenfluramine is a drug that was part of the Fen-Phen anti- obesity (the other drug being phentermine). Also known as Pondimin fenfluramine was introduced on the U. market in 1973. It is designed to increase the level of the neurotransmitter serotonin. (see: Fen-phenFen-phen was an anti- obesity medication (an anorectic) which consisted of two drugs: fenfluramine and phentermine. After reports of heart valve disease and pulmonary hypertension in women who had been undergoing treatment with fen-phen, the FDA requested). Likewise, association of the related appetite suppressant phenylpropanolaminePhenylpropanolamine (PPA) is a drug of the phenethylamine family used in bronchial and nasal decongestants, and also as an appetite suppressant. There are four optical isomers of phenylpropanolamine: d- and l-norephedrine, and d- and l-norpseudoephedrine. with hemorrhagic stroke led the FDA to request its withdrawal from the market in the United States in 2000, and similar concerns regarding ephedrine resulted in an FDA ban on its inclusion in OTC products in 2004.
In spite of these precedents, numerous related compounds are still marketed today as appetite suppressants. These include phenetermine (Fastin®, Adipex®, Ionamin® and others), diethylpropion (Tenuate®), phendimetrazine (Prelu-2®), benzphetamine (Didrex®) and others. Sibutramine (Medaria®, Reductil®) is a recent addition, which is used with orlistat by doctors to control obesity. The new cannabinoid receptor antagonist Rimonabant (Acomplia®) will be available in 2006.
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