Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)

You take the drugs your doctor prescribes in order to improve your health and well-being. But when a medication causes serious damage, pain, and suffering, you should be informed about its problems and compensated for your losses. If you, or a loved one, have been diagnosed with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH), a rare condition characterized by abnormally high blood pressure in the lungs, you’ll want to know how your condition may be linked to the medications you have taken, and you’ll want to know what you can do. Call us at the Monsour Law Firm. We will help.

Information about Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)

What is Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)?

What are the symptoms of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)?

What are the causes of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)?

How is Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) diagnosed and treated?

What is Fen-phen??

What should I do if I, or a loved one, is suffering from PPH?

What is Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)?

Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH), also known as Primary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), is a disease of the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs. The pulmonary artery brings oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle (one of the heart's pumping chambers) to the lungs. In the lungs, the blood picks up oxygen, and then flows to the heart's left side, where the left ventricle pumps it to the rest of the body through the aorta. In PPH, the pulmonary artery walls become stiff and thick and the arteries that carry blood from your heart to your lungs constrict. This narrowing causes high pressure in the pulmonary artery and puts strain on your heart because it has to work harder to push blood through your lungs.

PPH is a rare condition. In the United States, an estimated 500 to 1,000 new cases of primary pulmonary hypertension are diagnosed each year. The greatest number is reported in women between ages 20 and 40. However, men and women in all age ranges as well as very young children can develop PPH. In the early stages of PPH, the changes to the pulmonary artery may be small, and you may not experience symptoms. If left untreated, the right side of the heart becomes overworked and eventually fails. PPH is a serious condition and can lead to death.

What are the symptoms of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)?

Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) may not cause any symptoms at first. As the disease gets worse, symptoms can include the following:

• Shortness of breath, with or without activity
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Chest pain or pressure
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fainting spells
• Cyanosis (blue tinge to lips, hands and feet)

A physical examination of patients with primary arterial hypertension may show:

• Distension of veins in the neck
• Swelling of the ankles, legs and abdomen due to fluid retention
• Enlarged liver

All of these signs are related to the right ventricle working harder to pump blood into the constricted blood vessels leading to the lungs. Symptoms of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) usually limit a person's ability to exercise and do other activities.

What are the causes of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)?

There are many possible causes of PPH. However, all remain uncertain. The low incidence makes learning more about the disease extremely difficult

Among the factors linked to PPH are:

• Certain diet medications
• HIV infection
• Cocaine use
• Pregnancy

The diet drugs that have been associated with PPH have been shown to include Fen Phen, Redux (dexfenfluramine) and Pondimin (fenfluramine).

How is Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) diagnosed and treated?

Your doctor will diagnose Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) based on your medical and family histories, a physical exam, and the results from tests and procedures. PPH can develop slowly. In fact, you may have it for years and not know it. When symptoms do occur, they're often like those of other heart and lung conditions such as asthma. This makesPPH difficult to diagnose.

PPH is only diagnosed after your doctor finds pulmonary hypertension and excludes or cannot find other reasons for the hypertension, such as a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (chronic bronchitis and emphysema), blood clots in the lung (pulmonary thromboemboli), or some forms of congenital heart disease.

At the present time, there is no cure for PPH. Treatment may, however, relieve symptoms and slow the progress of the disease. There is ongoing research for new treatments. Current treatments include medications, surgical procedures, and therapeutic interventions, such as respiratory therapy. The earlier PPH is treated, the easier it is to control.

What is Fen-Phen

Fen-Phen is a combination of two prescription drugs, fenfluramine (marketed as Pondimin) and phentermine. Fenfluramine, and a related drug, dexfenfluramine (marketed as Redux), are classified as appetite suppressants. Phentermine is a classified as a mild stimulant and a form of amphetamine. Fen-Phen was once hailed as a breakthrough treatment for people struggling with obesity. It became popular in the 1990s and was used by an estimated 6 million people.

There is a significant association between the use of fen-phen and its component drugs, and PPH. Although fen-phen was taken off the US market in 1997, studies have shown that patients can develop PPH several years after they have stopped taking fen-phen. There may be as long as ten or more years between the time when someone took the drug and the time when they show the first PPH symptoms.

What should I do if I, or a loved one, is suffering from PPH?

First, talk to your doctor and get the appropriate treatment. If you took fen-phen or related drugs (Redux and Pondimin) at any time, consider seeking compensation for the damage fen-phen has done to you health and well-being. The Monsour Law Firm is experienced and effective in fen-phen litigation. We will help you get the personal injury settlement you deserve.

PPH Lawsuits

The link between fen-phen and PPH is well documented and an experienced Monsour Law Firm attorney will prepare and prosecute your case to protect your rights and your future.

What are the grounds for a PPH lawsuit? Do you have a case?

What are the next steps to take?

What are the grounds for a PPH lawsuit?

American Home Products, the drug’s manufacturer, was accused of withholding information that would have warned fen-phen users of the risks involved.

What are the grounds for a PPH lawsuit?

Various class actions have filed against American Home Products (now Wyeth), the manufacturer of fen-phen. In 2002, the fen-phen settlement became final and American Home Products agreed to pay out $3.75 billion to thousands of patients who took fen-phen before it was withdrawn from the market in 1997. But individual cases are still being tried and Wyeth announced it had set aside $ 21.1 billion to cover the cost of lawsuits.

Do you have a case?

The cost of treating PPH can be extremely expensive. In addition to medical bills, PPH can have a devastating impact on every aspect of your life and the lives of your loved ones. Even if you have not contemplated litigation before, if you or your loved one has suffered because of taking fen-phen, Redux or Pondimin, you should consider seeking compensation.

What are the next steps to take?