New recommendations regarding precautions for patients who have a history of taking Phen-Fen or Redux
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in conjunction with the CDC, FDA, and the National Institutes of Health, and consultation with the American Heart Association, has issued new recommendations regarding precautions for patients who have a history of taking Redux or Phen-Fen (a combination of Fenfluramine and Phentermine) and who require dental treatment. The recommendation calls for all such patients to be referred for medical evaluation for possible cardiac valvular disease associated with these drugs which may require antibiotic prophylaxis. An estimated 1.2 - 4.7 million persons in the United States have been exposed to these drugs.
A study of some patients who have taken the appetite suppressants, showed defects on both sides of the heart, yet a left-sided valvular defect was affected in all cases. An acquired left-sided heart disease may put a patient at risk for development of bacterial endocarditis following certain invasive procedures. Although the degree to which patients with these valvular lesions are at risk for developing endocarditis has not yet been determined, prudent medical management of these patients should include appropriate antimicrobial prophylaxis before certain oral invasive procedures.
If a dental patient have taken the above named drugs, this should undergo a medial examination to determine the presence or absence of cardiopulmonary signs and/or symptoms. In the interim, if this patient requires any oral procedures, prophylactic antibiotics should be recommended.
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