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Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) and Fen-PhenWhat is Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (“PPH”)Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) is a rare and potentially life threatening lung disorder in which the blood pressure in the pulmonary artery of the heart rises far above normal levels for no apparent reason. This serious type of hypertension or high blood pressure is recognized when the average blood pressure is greater than 25 mm Hg at rest. According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 500 to 1,000 new cases of PPH are diagnosed in the U.S. each year; most of these cases are women between ages 20 and 40. Physicians began diagnosing patients with PPH in the 1970s and have yet to identify a cause. Experts note that there is typically a delayed diagnosis for up to 10 years and have linked PPH with the use of appetite suppressants and weight loss drugs. Specifically, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (1996) found that the use of Fen Phen for three months or longer increased the risk of developing PPH by 23%. Responding to reports of heart disease linked to Fen-Phen and other weight loss prescription drugs, the FDA recalled the popular diet drugs Redux (dexfenfluramine), Pondimin (fenfluramine) and Fen-Phen (fenfluramine and phentermine) in 1997. These appetite suppressants were taken by nearly six to seven million consumers worldwide. Mounting evidence and hundreds of consumer reports links Pondimin and Fen-Phen to Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, heart valve problems, and neurotoxicity of the brain. Symptoms of PPH The initial symptoms of PPH can include weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizzy spells, and fainting. Advanced symptoms of PPH, due to delayed diagnosis, can include bluish lips and skin, ankle and lower leg swelling, increased chest pain, and even death. Legal Action against Diet Drugs Possible lawsuits are being investigated against the drug manufacturers, American Home Products, Wyeth, Interneuron Pharmaceuticals, and others. Additional legal action may be brought against doctors and weight loss centers who prescribed Fen-Phen, Pondamin, Redux, Adipex, Ionamin, and other diet medications. These parties may face negligence and malpractice lawsuits since it is alleged that the drug makers did not fully test the drugs before marketing and the doctors prescribed the diet drugs with awareness of the dangerous side effects. PPH and Diet Drugs In the News Information by the American Heart Association on Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH). [American Heart Association]Texas court awards $1 billion to the family of women who died from PPH in a lawsuit against Wyeth Laboratories, maker of diet drug Pondimin. [DAILY TEXAN ONLINE] LEGAL NOTICE AND
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