New data about a prescription weight loss drug suggests it may actually be dangerous for people with heart conditions.
A study known as the Scout trial examined a possible link between the weight loss drug Meridia and an increased risk for heart attacks. The findings from the study indicated that people with certain health problems who took Meridia had more heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems than people taking a placebo. This information was especially concerning because many obese people try to lose weight specifically to decrease their risk for heart attacks and stroke.
Meridia helps people lose weight because of the ingredient sibutramine, which works by increasing neurotransmitter activity in the brain, helping people to feel full after a meal and thereby reducing their food intake. However, Meridia also raises blood pressure and heart rate, which can be dangerous for people who are already at risk for heart problems.
In response to this new information, the European Medicines Agency advised doctors and pharmacists to stop prescribing and dispensing European equivalents of Meridia. The Food and Drug Administration in the U.S., however, asked the makers of Meridia to put a stronger warning label on the bottle. There has been some controversy among health and weight loss experts about which agency took the proper approach in responding to the Scout trial's findings.
For now, the bottom line seems to be that people who are already at risk for heart disease should avoid taking Meridia. Unfortunately, many of the drug's target demographic "people who are obese and want to lose weight" are already at risk for heart disease because of their obesity.