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more_legal_areas PPHPPH during pregnancy greatly increases the risk of maternal mortality. PPH stands for Primary Pulmonary Hypertension which has the highest rate of incidence in women aged 21 to 40 (which closely correlates to child-bearing years). Approximately 300 new cases of PPH are diagnosed every year in the United States.
PPH is a rare lung disorder whose exact cause is often unknown. When a patient has PPH, the blood pressure in the pulmonary artery rises far above normal levels. The pulmonary artery is responsible for carrying blood from the heart to the lungs. PPH causes excess tissue to build in the artery walls causing the heart and right ventricle to expand which lowers the heart''s ability to efficiently pump blood. This can lead to right heart failure and death.
Though there is no known cause of PPH, there are several factors that have been associated with PPH. Sixty percent of all PPH cases are familial meaning that there is potentially a genetic link involved in the development of PPH in these patients. People with Raynaud''s disease are also more susceptible to developing PPH.
Diet drugs such as Pondimin (fenfluramine) and Redux (dexfluramine) and phentermine, a group of drugs commonly known as Fen-phen, can cause the development of PPH. The first two drugs in this group were recalled in September of 1997 after the FDA found that taking these obesity drugs greatly increased a patient''s risk for developing PPH. Cocaine, HIV, and pregnancy can also trigger PPH.
If a woman is diagnosed with PPH during pregnancy, termination of the pregnancy is recommended in the early stages of gestation because the risk for maternal mortality is so great. If this is not an option, PPH during pregnancy is best managed though a combination of medical treatments. Cesarean sections, Epoprostenal therapy during pregnancy, labor and the post partum period, and epidurals can all help protect a woman with PPH during pregnancy. Epoprostenal therapy has not been shown to cause physical or developmental fetal harm.
Women who have PPH during pregnancy might have already had the condition or may have developed it as a result of pregnancy. Women who have PPH during pregnancy usually begin to experience health complications during the second trimester. Fatigue, fainting spells, chest pain and difficulty breathing are all signs of PPH during pregnancy. Women who have PPH during pregnancy which does lead to mortality commonly die of right heart failure two to nine days after delivery. Though the risk of death for women with PPH during pregnancy is high, there are several medical treatments and techniques that can be employed to protect the health of a woman with PPH during pregnancy.
If you have taken the aforementioned diet drugs and have developed PPH during pregnancy, you may wish to contact a qualified lawyer who can discuss your rights and options in a PPH lawsuit to recover the damages you have suffered as a result of this dangerous medication.