Tenuate Diet Pill Review
Tenuate diet pills belong to a class of weight loss drugs called appetite suppressants. Tenuate diet pills are marketed as either immediate or sustained release tablets. The capsule form of Tenuate resists rapid dissolution in the gut and continues to release the drug for a sustained period of time.
How does Tenuate work?
The action of Tenuate diet pills is very similar to that of amphetamines, and acts on the brain to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system. It is believed that the appetite suppression seen with these drugs is a combination of this central action and other unknown effects of the drug on metabolism. Tenuate is also known as an anorexiant (which simply means it causes a “lack of appetite”).
Tenuate may be prescibed if a patient has failed to make progress on a diet and exercise program, and the cause of obesity has been determined to be exogenous (related to eating behavior) with no underlying hormonal or metabolic abnormality.
Tenuate Treatment Guidelines:
Tenuate diet pills are available as two formulations. Immediate release preparations come as 25 mg tablets, 3 of which are taken once daily in the morning. Controlled release preparation comes as a 75 mg tablet, which is taken once a day. The drug should be taken 1 or 2 hours prior to a meal. Late evening dosing should be avoided for fear of causing insomnia. The lowest possible dosage of drug should be used since this class of drugs has a very narrow safety margin.
Therapy with Tenuate diet pills should be re-evaluated at the end of a 4 week period. If the patient has lost less than 2 kg/4.5 lbs., then Tenuate may not be ideal – either the dose should be increased or a different drug should be used.
This drug should not be prescribed beyond a 3 month period for two reasons. One, the body develops a tolerance to its appetite suppressing effect and fails to respond to it — even to increasing doses. The other reason is the absence of clear documentation regarding the effectiveness and safety of Tenuate beyond a 12 weeks period.
Contraindications:
The Tenuate diet pills are not to be used in people…
- with known allergic reactions to this class of drugs (the sympathomimetics).
- suffering from advanced arteriosclerosis, heart disease, moderate to severe hypertension, thyroid abnormalities & glaucoma
- who have a history of dependence or drug abuse (Tenuate diet pills have a potential for abuse).
- who are taking drugs that act on the brain or the heart and blood vessels. Such combinations may can alter the magnitude of each individual drug’s response and can also aggravate the underlying disease.
- under 12 years of age.
Special precautions for taking Tenuate…
- As Tenuate diet pills can elevate the blood pressure, caution is has to be exercised in prescribing for patients with even mild hypertension. It may also interfere with the action of other anti-hypertensive medications, like Guanethidine.
- In patients with diabetes, the insulin requirements and the concomitant dietary regimen may be altered in association with the use of the drug.
- The least possible amount needs to be prescribed or dispensed at one time in order to minimize the possibility of overdosage.
SPECIAL WARNING:
These diet pills are not be taken by women who are, or may become, pregnant unless, in the opinion of the physician, the potential benefits outweigh the possible hazards.
As indicated already, the body develops tolerance to the weight loss effects of Tenuate diet pills within a few weeks. The recommended dosage should never be exceeded in an attempt to increase the effect once this happens; rather the drug needs to be stopped. Increasing the dose at this point will only broaden the spectrum of its side effects. Abrupt cessation following high-dosage administration results in extreme fatigue and mental depression. A gradual “tapering off” of the dosage is recommended. Patients also note changes in their sleep pattern
Patients on this drug are to be cautioned against involving themselves in potentially hazardous activities such as operating machinery or driving a motor vehicle.
