Diethylpropion in the Treatment of "Refractory" Obesity

Abstract

Diethylpropion ( tenuate ) is a recently introduced anorectic agent which reduces the food intake of experimental animals without causing undesirable stimulation of the central nervous system (Martin, 1959). Its efficacy as an adjuvant to the dietary treatment of obese persons is, however, unproved, as the few clinical observations reported were uncontrolled and inadequate (Ravetz, 1959 ; Spielman, 1959 ; Wilson and Long, 1960). We report the results of a controlled double blind trial of diethylpropion in obese persons who had failed to respond to dietetic instruction during the previous year and whose obesity we have defined as being refractory (Duncan et al, 1960).