Diet pills history

Call it the original diet pill. The introduction of the OTC appetite suppressant Dexatrim in 1976 marked the beginning of an era in the history of dieting trends. The pill s main ingredient was phenylpropanolamine (PPA). This substance works by affecting the hypothalamus—the part... 

Donnelly, Kathleen. "Diet Pills A Dubious History." MSN Health Fitness, 2007. Available online. URL http // health.msn.com/fitness/articlepage.aspx cp-documentid= 100148215. Accessed August 28, 2007. 

IV. Diagnosis is usually based on a history of ingestion of diet pills or decongestant medications and the presence of hypertension. Bradycardia or AV block suggests PPA or phenylephrine. Severe headache, focal neurologic deficits, or coma should raise the possibility of intracerebral hemorrhage. 

Bea Twelvlow, a 75-year-old woman, went to see her physician because of a numbness and tingling in her arms. A diet history indicated a normal and healthy diet, but Bea was not taking any supplemental vitamin pills. Laboratory results indicated a slight elevation of methylmalonic acid, and this led the physician to suspect a vitamin B12 deficiency. Direct measurement of serum B12 levels did indicate a deficiency, but the results of a Schilling test were normal. 

Exacerbation of hemochromatosis (an inherited disease in which excessive iron accumulates in the body) was reported in a 68-year-old woman with a history of type 2 diabetes, asthma, hypothyroidism, borderline hypertension, borderline diastolic dysfunction, and a fatty liver. The women had been taking 200 mg of milk thistle daily for over a year, along with two extra-strength acetaminophen pills every 2 to 3 days, and a can of cola (presumably a diet cola) every day (Whittington 2007). A letter regarding this case noted that elevated liver enzymes, reported as a sign of hemochromatosis exacerbation, may occur with regular acetaminophen use (Kidd 2008). 

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