: a former diet drug combination of phentermine with either fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine
called alsophen-fen
2
: an herbal preparation typically containing ephedra and Saint-John's-wort that was used as an appetite suppressant until one of its ingredients (ephedra) was banned in the U.S. by the FDA in 2004
Herbal fen-phen users who take a cough or cold remedy containing decongestants, which are similar in action to ephedra, are unwittingly double-dosing on stimulants. Richard Harkness
Word History
Etymology
fenfluramine + phentermine
First Known Use
1993, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Medical Definition
fen-phen
noun
ˈfen-ˌfen
1
: a former diet drug combination of phentermine with either fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine that was used as an appetite suppressant in the treatment of obesity but was voluntarily withdrawn from the market in 1997 due to its association with heart disease
called alsophen-fen
2
: an herbal preparation typically containing ephedra and Saint-John's-wort that was used as an appetite suppressant until one of its ingredients (ephedra) was banned in the U.S. by the FDA in 2004