Didrex Diet Pill Review
Didrex diet pills belong to a group of drugs known as anorexiants, which work to reduce body weight. Didrex brings about weight loss by a stimulating effect on the brain. Each Didrex tablet for oral administration contains 50 mg of the weight reducing compound “benzphetamine hydrochloride.”
How does Didrex work?
Diet pills like Didrex that are used in treatment of obesity usually work by suppressing the appetite, but this has not been proven to be the mode of action of this drug. Didrex has a central nervous system stimulating action which may also elevate blood pressure. Continuous usage of the drug may result in tolerance, decreasing its efficacy.
Generally, it has been found that obese adults treated with weight reducing drugs show greater effect in loosing weight when the consumption of the drug is coupled with dietary restrictions. The effect of a single dose of Didrex lasts for about 12-14 hours.
Didrex treatment guidelines:
Didrex should not be used in patients suffering from advanced vessel wall thickening, high blood pressure, diseases of the thyroid gland, and in people with a known allergy to this class of drugs. Simultaneous use of two drugs that act on the central nervous system should be avoided. These drugs should not be used with or within 14 days of use of certain anti-depressants (MAO inhibitors). A side effect of both Didrex diet pills and MAO anti-depressants is hypertension. Thus, a combination of the two may result in a very high increase in blood pressure.
Didrex is not to be used with other CNS stimulants. The safety profile of Didrex has not been studied in growing children, pregnant and nursing mothers. The use of these diet pills is therefore not recommended among pregnant women and young children (less than 16 years).
Special note: A contraceptive is generally advisable when women of child-bearing age are taking this drug to protect against inadvertent pregnancies. Nursing mothers taking this drug should be advised to refrain from breast feeding the baby, as the drug is found to be excreted in human milk.
Insulin requirements and the dietary restrictions for those with diabetes may need to be altered in association with use of anorexigenic drugs. Psychiatric problems and disturbances have been reported in patients who receive a weight reducing drug together with a restricted diet.
Caution is the word when prescribing this group of drug to patients with mild hypertension, as it may further elevate blood pressure. Only the least amount feasible should be prescribed. Patients on this drug need to avoid activities such as operating machinery or driving a motor vehicle.
Didrex overdose symptoms:
Acute overdose with Didrex may result in restlessness, tremor, increase in the breathing rate, confusion, and panic states. It may also result in lowered blood pressure or increased blood pressure, irregular heart beats, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. An overdose of Didrex diet pills may require hospitalization, observation, sedation and intravenous therapy to control the hypertension that may be present.
Fatal poisoning is usually preceded by involuntary muscle contractions and long periods of unconsciousness.
