Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)
Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)

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Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is now the name for primary or unexplained primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). It is a rare lung disorder in which the blood pressure in the pulmonary artery rises far above normal levels for no apparent reason. The pulmonary artery is a blood vessel carrying 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, then flows to the heart's left side, where the left ventricle pumps it to the rest of the body through the aorta.

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 PAH/PPH.

Fen-phen

A significant association exists between the use of the fen-phen diet drug and PAH/PPH. Fen-phen was taken off the market in the US in 1997. Studies have shown that it can be several years after having stopped taking diet drugs that patients develop the disease. Medical experts have testified that there is a potential latency of ten or more years between the last date on which a patient is exposed to diet drugs and the date at which the patient develops the first symptoms of what is ultimately diagnosed as PAH/PPH. If you have PAH/PPH and took fen phen, please contact us.
Symptoms Of Primary Arteriak Hypertension

The most common symptoms of primary pulmonary hypertension or pulmonary arterial hypertension are related to difficulty with breathing. They include:

• Progressive shortness of breath (especially with activity)
• Hyperventilation (breathing harder and faster)
• Fatigue (tiring easily)
• Progressive weakness
• Fainting spells
• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Coughing up blood
• Progressive 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 legs and hands due to fluid retention
• Enlarged liver

If you or a loved one has suffered from PPH / PAH and you have taken fen-phen, you may want to speak with a PPH attorney regarding a potential lawsuit. A lawyer familiar with new developments in the investigation of PPH / PAH may be able to help you make important personal and legal decisions. Please CLICK HERE for a free consultation.