Phentermine (phentermine HCl)

Phentermine is an amphetamine congener that is used as an anorexigenic agent.

Phentermine is used as an adjunct to exercise, behavioral modification, and caloric restriction in the short-term management (a few weeks) of exogenous obesity. Phentermine therapy is indicated for patients with no underlying risk factor but a pretreatment body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater and those with an underlying risk factor (e.g., hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia) and a pretreatment BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater. Phentermine is indicated only for monotherapy in the management of exogenous obesity; the drug should not be used in combination with selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (e.g., fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline) or monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors.

To help bring about and maintain loss of weight, the patient must be taught to curtail overeating and to consume a suitable diet. Phentermine also has been used for longer periods+ combined with fenfluramine+ (no longer commercially available in the US) in selected patients for the management of this condition. Such combined+ long-term therapy had been used widely in the 1990s in the management of exogenous obesity.

However, because of accumulated data on adverse effects associated with the drugs, fenfluramine hydrochloride (Pondimin(R)) and its dextrorotatory isomer dexfenfluramine hydrochloride (Redux(R)) were withdrawn from the US market in 1997. (See Cautions and also see Cautions, in the Amphetamines General Statement 28:20.04.)

Generic name: phentermine HCl
Pronunciation: (FEN-ter-meen)

The following indications are listed for Phentermine:

• Weight Loss Management For Obese Patient (body mass index 30 or greater)
• Weight Loss Management For Overweight Patient With Bmi 27 To 29 And Weight-Related Comorbidity

No ICD codes are available for this drug.