Fen-phen was initially marketed as an anorectic, or anti-obesity medication, which was somewhat abused by patients seeking simply to lose weight for cosmetic purposes as well. The drug was eventually shown to promote serious medical conditions of the heart and heart valves, which lead to serious medical conditions, including fatal cases of pulmonary hypertension. In the end, the marketers of Fen-phen, Wyeth, paid out more than $13 billion dollars in damage settlements to patients. The drug has not been available in United States drug markets since 2004.