WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health regulators are warning doctors that weight loss pill Meridia can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with a history of heart problems.
The Food and Drug Administration is adding new labeling to the drug, stressing that it should not be used in patients with heart failure, hypertension, irregular heart beats and other problems.
Meridia is marketed by North Chicago-based Abbott Laboratories. The company has previously stressed that the drug is only approved for patients with no previous history of heart disease.
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FDA approved Meridia in 1997 as a weight loss aid alongside diet and exercise. The drug is related to the amphetamine family of stimulants.
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