In the recent soar of the amount of people suffering from Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, we ask a question. What is the cause of this epidemic? After years of research and study, doctors have discovered one of many possible answers. Several drugs, all of which are hunger suppressant drugs, have a viable link to the epidemic. The drugs include: Dexfenfluramine, Aminorex and Fenfluramine. Since the release of this medical news, millions of people who consumed Fen Phen now believe their ailments are due to Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. It is a deadly disease that is able to occur within a person who has never taken any of the above drugs. Only occurring in less than three people per million, it is an extremely rare disease.
People suffering from PPH experience several different symptoms. Being short breathed, also known as dyspnea, feelings of fatigue, continuous pain felt in the chest area, and dizziness are just a few of the minor symptoms a person with the disease may experience.
When a person develops it, his or her blood pressure will dramatically rise in the pulmonary arteries. The specific action of the pulmonary arteries blood pressure rising is called hypertension. To simplify the definition into non-medical terms, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is dangerously high blood pressure in the lungs. Typically, low oxygenated blood is brought from the right ventricle of the heart through the pulmonary arteries. Afterwards the hearts right side will pump the low oxygenated blood into both sides of the lungs. This is how the body receives much-needed oxygen. Following voyage through the right side of the heart and then to the left side, the blood is able to travel through the aorta to the rest of the body.
However, with someone suffering from Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, the body works inappropriately. The lungs very small blood vessels transform and then seal. When this occurs, the closed blood vessels prevent the flow of blood, thus causing the pressure in the pulmonary artery to increase about three times. Since PPH is such a harmful and often deadly disease, the typical rate of survival after being diagnosed is generally less then thirty-six months. Uncommon in most cases of it, early detection and early treatment can prolong the three year average up to ten years.
Cured of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension:
Like many other deadly diseases, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension has no known cure. However, one does not have to live in discomfort and a fear of the disease consuming them. Medications and treatments are available to help ease the unpleasant symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease. Although some do not see the purpose of a medicine without a cure, many people give thanks that they are able to continue their lives in an orderly manner.
There are many different ways in which Primary Pulmonary Hypertension patients may receive treatment. They may receive oxygen, diuretics, or calcium channel blockers. Each treatment is different and each treatment should be considered. Although there are many conventional ways to ease the symptoms of PPH, there also a few forms of treatment that have not yet been approved by the Federal Drug Administration.
The simple procedure of administering oxygen to a PPH patient can be very beneficial in relieving difficulties in breathing. In addition to relieving strenuous breathing, administering oxygen also helps to relax the lungs artery muscles. Another advantage to receiving oxygen is that the pressure in the lungs will decrease to a reasonable level. When an excessive amount of fluid builds up around the heart, PPH patients receive diuretics. When patients receive diuretics, the doctors must be extremely careful. The reason such precaution must be taken is, the patient must not get entirely dehydrated. With an already poorly functioning ventricle system, dehydration can cause the blood to stop being pumped to the lungs.
Another method of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension treatment is through calcium channel blockers. An example of this would be nifedipine, a muscle relaxant. Nifedipine specifically relaxes the muscles that are found in the walls of blood vessels. Even though this form of treatment appears quite pleasant, it often is not. Although the right side of the heart is able to function more efficiently, the blood pressure may be decreased throughout the entire cardiovascular system. Thus, it may create somewhat of an unpleasant situation for the PPH patient. A couple forms of treatment still in the experimental phase include the inhalation of Nitric Oxide and the use of prostacycline. The purpose of inhaling nitric oxide is to relax the lung's blood vessels. When inhaling the nitric oxygen, the rest of the body does not feel the effects.
Many people have not even heard of primary pulmonary hypertension, and some of those who have are only aware of it because of the television commercials for lawsuits related to it. One of the biggest problems with PPH is that people do not know how a person gets it. There are some assumptions, but there are no guarantees.
It is believed that there might be a genetic disposition to the disease, and that people with certain connective tissue disorders might be at higher risk. One of the possible causes of the disease which has only recently come to light, though, is medication.
It was long believed that conditions like HIV and illegal drugs such as cocaine could cause it in some people, but new evidence has shown that compounds in some popular diet drugs can also foster development of the disease. Most of the primary pulmonary hypertension lawsuits, which are being dealt with today, are due to diet drugs and the dangers that they can cause.
These are the same types of drugs, which caused heart valve defects in many people years ago, and now they are also being linked to PPH, which is also a very serious concern. Some feel that this is even more serious. Heart valves can generally be fixed or replaced, but this disease can cause so much damage that a lung transplant or a heart and lung transplant can be needed.
Most people do not understand PPH symptoms. This is unfortunate, because these symptoms must be noted so that a diagnosis can be made. Only by doing this can PPH be adequately treated. There is no cure for PPH, but there is a way to treat the symptoms so that the patient can feel better and have a better quality of life for a longer period of time. The average PPH patient lives about three years once they are diagnosed, but the length of time a person survives and how well they feel is extremely variable. Some people have only a few months, and others live for many years, some of them doing quite well.
They generally do this by making some lifestyle modifications and by taking PPH medication to help dilate the blood vessels in the lungs so that they receive more oxygen rich blood to the organs and tissues throughout their body. Without doing that, these people will often suffer severe shortness of breath, chest pain, and chronic fatigue, among many other things. Individuals with PPH can struggle with this for some time, and it makes it very difficult for their loved ones as well. The individuals who have to see people they care for slowly deteriorate from PPH often fight their own battles with anxiety, depression, and other issues.
Naturally, if primary pulmonary hypertension is caught quickly, medications can stop the progression of the disease in most people, allowing them to go back to having a basically normal life. Unfortunately, because the symptoms come on slowly in the early stages, and because the symptoms are so similar to other problems, the disease is often not detected until it has already progressed to a very dangerous level.
People with PPH symptoms should be thoroughly checked out by their doctor, and should not give up on medical testing and intervention until they learn for certain whether they have primary pulmonary hypertension or some other condition. Only through this kind of vigilance can it be controlled.
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Nick Johnson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Obesity, Health and Class Action. Nick Johnson is lead counsel with Johnson Law Group, a law firm that represents cases and matters involving Fen-Phen and Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH). For a free case evaluation, contact Johnson Law Group in Houston, TX at 1-888-311-5522 or visit. Nick Johnson's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
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