Slimmer (瘦身者) suffers heart failure (心臟衰竭) after taking pills

A 48-year-old woman suffered heart failure after taking, overa two-year period, a slimming product (note 1) she bought in the mainland.

 

Tests showed the product, called SlimEasy Herbs Capsule, contains the banned medicines (note 2) sibutramine (西布曲明減肥藥) and phenolphthalein (苯酚酞)

 

The woman went to the emergency ward of Kwong Wah Hospital after suffering shortness of breath (note 3) and ankle swelling (腫脹) on October 14, and was admitted on the same day with heart failure.

 

A Department of Health spokesman said the patient bought the slimming pills from an “unknown source” in the mainland.

 

The department investigating whether her symptoms are related to the product. She was discharged (放走) on Wednesday after her condition improved.  Sibutramine is a part I poison and was once used to suppress appetites (note 4), but was banned in November 2010 because it was found to lead to increased cardiovascular (心血管性的) risk.

 

Phenolpthalein, once used for treating constipation, has been banned of its cancer-causing effect.

 

The spokesman urged the public not to buy products of unknown or doubtful composition (note 5)

 

If they have bought the SlimEasy Herbs Capsule product, consumer should stop using it immediately and consult their doctor if they feel unwell.

 

It is an offense (note 6) to sell unregistered medicines.

 

Those convicted face up to a HK$100,000 fine and two years’ jail.

 

Meanwhile, an action plan launched to reduce danger related to alcohol abuse has no drinking guidelines.

 

The World Health Organization has identified the use of alcohol as the third leading risk factor when it comes to noncommunicable (不會傳染的) diseases, which cause about 2.5 million deaths worldwide every year.

 

“Generally speaking, the dangers of alcohol are expressed as a continuum (連續), that is, the more you drink, the higher the chances for your to suffer alcohol-related illnesses”.

 

(note 1) slimming product=減肥產品。Slim=纖細的,苗條的,微弱的,瑣細的。slim excuse=理由不充分的藉口。v
ery slim chances of success=成功的希望很渺芒。The slimmest (of) evidence=最不充分的證據。

(note 2) banned medicines=禁藥。ban=禁止,禁令。lift [remove] the ban=開禁,解禁。
Place [put] under a ban=禁止。

(note 3) shortness of breath=氣喘。Short=短,缺少,簡單。

(note 4) suppress appetites=壓抑食慾。
suppress=鎮壓,撲減,禁止發行,刪掉。suppress a yawn=忍住呵欠。suppressed laughter=忍住笑。

(note 5) doubtful composition=可以的成分。doubtful=可疑的,有疑問的,曖味的。Julian is doubtful (as to) what I ought to say. Julian 拿不準該說些什麼。
doubtful proposition=可疑的命題。doubtful character=可疑的人物。

(note 6) an offence=罪,侮辱,觸怒。first offence=初犯。No offence was meant=並沒有觸犯的意思。offence is the best defense=攻擊是最好的防禦。commit an offence against=犯(法)。take offence=生氣。