Belviq (lorcaserin) increases risk of heart attack, cardiovascular death and non-fatal stroke 2-fold

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Saturday, November 01, 2014 1:08 pm Email this article

Belviq (lorcaserin), a weight loss drug, in one study was associated with a “twofold increased rate of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction [heart attack] or non-fatal stroke” according to a paper looking at side effects of the drug written by James DiNicolantonio, PharmD and others.

“In BLOOM-diabetes mellitus (DM), there was also an increase in adverse events related to ischaemic heart disease with lorcaserin [Belviq, a weight loss drug,] versus placebo (0.6% vs 0.4%, respectively) with a twofold increased rate of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction [heart attack] or non-fatal stroke,” notes the paper.

Reference

DiNicolantonio JJ, Chatterjee S, O’Keefe JH, and Meier P. Lorcaserin for the treatment of obesity? A closer look at its side effects. Open Heart, 2014; 1(1): http://openheart.bmj.com/content/1/1/e000173.full.

Author’s Contact Info

James J. DiNicolantonio, PharmD
Associate Editor BMJ Open Heart
Cardiovascular Research Scientist
Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute
http://www.saintlukeshealthsystem.org/dinicolantonio
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/James_Dinicolantonio
https://twitter.com/jjdinicol
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Articles on the same subject can be found here:

• Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride)