Stroke Risk Found in Common Drug Ingredient

A five-year study conducted by researchers at Yale University (New Haven CT, USA) has revealed that phenylpropanolamine (PPA), a common ingredient in nonprescription cold and cough remedies, can increase the risk of stroke in young women. As a result, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken steps to remove PPA from all drug products and has requested that all drug companies discontinue marketing products containing PPA.

PPA is also an ingredient in nonprescription appetite suppressants marketed as weight loss products. The increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke was detected among women using PPA as an appetite suppressant and for nasal decongestion in the three days after starting use of the medication. The study found that the risk of stroke in those taking PPA as an appetite suppressant was as much as 15 times higher than in women not taking the drug. The stroke risk for first-time users was three times higher.

PPA, similar in structure to amphetamine, has been on the market for more than five decades. Although there have been concerns about the safety of PPA, until now there has never been sufficient scientific evidence to ban its use. The FDA, which has asked that PPA be removed from both nonprescription and prescription drugs, urges consumers to discuss alternative products with a doctor or pharmacist. New rules being drafted will effectively ban PPA from all drug products. The stroke study results can be found on the FDA website.



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