FDA investigating Meridia

U.S. regulators are reviewing preliminary data suggesting patients taking Abbott Laboratories Inc.'s weight loss drug Meridia may have a higher risk of cardiovascular problems, the Food and Drug Administration said on Friday. The FDA said early findings from a recent study suggested patients taking Meridia, also known as sibutramine, may have a higher number of cardiovascular-related problems, including heart attacks, strokes, cardiac arrests and deaths, when compared to patients who took a placebo. Meridia is an appetite suppressant approved to treat obese adults. It can cause side effects ranging from headaches and constipation to higher blood pressure and a faster heart rate.