Appetite suppressant pills lead to a 28% higher risk of having a heart attack and a 36% higher risk of developing a stroke

This post includes a synopsis of a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine 363:905-917September 2, 2010 and a recipe.

Study title and authors:
Effect of Sibutramine on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Overweight and Obese Subjects

Books:

W. Philip T. James, M.D., D.Sc., Ian D. Caterson, M.D., Ph.D., Walmir Coutinho, M.D., D.Sc., Nick Finer, M.B., B.S., Luc F. Van Gaal, M.D., Ph.D., Aldo P. Maggioni, M.D., Christian Torp-Pedersen, M.D., Ph.D., Arya M. Sharma, M.D., Ph.D., Gillian M. Shepherd, B.Sc., Richard A. Rode, Ph.D., and Cheryl L. Renz, M.D. for the SCOUT Investigators

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa1003114

Sibutramine, brand name Meridia is an appetite suppressant, a weight loss pill. The study lasted nearly 3.5 years and involved 10,744 overweight or obese subjects, 55 years of age or older to assess the cardiovascular consequences of weight management with and without sibutramine. Patients were assigned either Meridia or a placebo.

The researchers report that:
(a) Those on Meridia had a 28% higher risk of a heart attack compared to placebo.
(b) Those on Meridia had a 36% higher risk of a stroke compared to placebo.

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Recipe of the day

Mussels in Hot Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Mussels

2 quarts mussels

1-2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 oz. tomato paste
2 1/2 cups liquid from the mussels
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp (or to taste) crushed red pepper flakes, crushed

Instructions:
Rinse mussels in colander several times with cold water and scrub with a stiff brush to remove sand. Place mussels in pan with 1-2 cups water; steam until open. Reserve the liquid, add enough water to make 2 1/2 cups liquid and set aside. Heat oil. Sauté garlic and onion. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 30 minutes. Put mussels, in their shells, in a shallow baking dish. Cover with sauce. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes. Serve on the half-shell. Note: It might be necessary to strain the reserved broth.