Surapaneni Phani, Vinales Karyne L, Najib Mohammad Q, Chaliki Hari P
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona 85259, USA.
Tex Heart Inst J. 2011;38(5):581-3.
Exposure to the anorectic drug fenfluramine, alone or in combination with phentermine, a noradrenergic central nervous system stimulant, has been associated with unusual cardiac valvular morphology and resultant regurgitation of the left- and right-sided heart valves. The prevalence of significant valvular disease associated with the use of these anorectic drugs is reported to be as high as 23%. Herein, we report the occurrence of multivalvular disease and pulmonary hypertension associated with fenfluramine-phentermine use, discovered in an obese 59-year-old woman before expected gastric bypass surgery.