Primary Pulmonary Hypertension Legal Information from PPH Attorneys

Medical Complications

Valvular Heart Disease
Fen Phen caused the valves in the heart to let blood flow backwards through them. The two valves on the left side of the heart, the aortic valve and the mitral valve, are affected by Fen Phen intake, which causes regurgitation to occur.
Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
PPH is caused by Fen Phen and is a very dangerous and deadly result from the diet drug. This disease causes an increased pulmonary artery pressure.
Endocardial Fibrosis
This condition is more rare and is diagnosed by fibrosis and restrictive cardiomyopathy.

Fen Phen has been linked to many different health complications. Initially a Fen Phen patient may have experienced shortness in breath. Because shortness in breath can be attributed to many other things, patients did not feel that was the direct result of taking Fen Phen. Since Fen Phen is a diet drug, many individuals were overweight to begin with and experienced shortness of breath on a regular basis.

In fact, the feeling of shortness in breath can be attributed to pulmonary hypertension, a condition when there is high blood pressure in the artery that pushes oxygen-lacking blood from the heart to the lungs that causes shortness of breath. The two valves on the left side of the heart, the aortic valve and the mitral valve, are affected by Fen Phen intake, which causes regurgitation to occur, a heart valve problem.

Fen Phen can cause cell lining within the capillaries in the lungs to peel away, allowing blood to leak through into the muscle cells. Constriction then occurs, putting pressure back onto the capillaries. As time goes on, blood flow is cut off between the heart and the lungs, which increases the pressure and expands the right side of the heart. This can result in serious complications like heart failure and even death when untreated.

If you have experienced any side effects due to the intake of Fen Phen diet pills, please contact us.

Fen Phen Cover Up?

Back in 1997, studies began to show the potentially deadly effects of Fen Phen. The FDA’s key reviewer, Dr. Leo Lutwak, believed American Home Products knew about the heart problems their diet drug caused long before its removal from the U.S. market. Dr. Lutwak thinks that AHP distorted his research in order to make Fen Phen appear like there was no way to predict the valve dangers that result from the use of the drug. Dr. Lutwak thinks that the AHP’s response to his research was part of a cover up so that they could continue to market and sell the popular drug.

The FDA did not want Dr. Lutwak to testify so he said he was going to retire in order to be able to. At the time, Dr. Lutwak’s testimony was very important to show that AHP did have knowledge of the damaging effects of their drug but did not disclose this information and properly warn the patients. The company did not pull Fen Phen from the shelves until the FDA began their official investigation on the heart problems linked to the drug. AHP continues to litigate their cases aggressively to this day.

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