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valvular heart disease complications
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Fen Phen Drug Risks
The use of fen phen has been associated with two serious medical conditions, valvular heart disease and PPH (hypertension primary pulmonary arterial) and neuropsychological damage. The risk of developing these disorders are very important.
What is Fen Phen?
It is a term used to refer to the combination of the drugs fenfluramine (Pondimin) and phentermine (Ionamin and Adipex-P). Complications serious medical have arisen in patients exposed to fenfluramine alone or in combination with phentermine. Have also been observed in patients receiving a drug related (dexfenfluramine Redux). The use of fen phen (as a combination) has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Pending litigation related to damage caused by exposure to these drugs continues.
Risks:
Patients receiving fenfluramine alone, in combination with fenfluramine, phentermine, or dexfenfluramine receiving only detected a significantly higher risk of cardiac valvular disease (damaged heart valves), PPH (Primary Pulmonary Hypertension) and neuropsychological abnormalities.
Symptoms include shortness of breath (difficulty breathing), dizziness (weakness or fainting), chest pain, fatigue and edema (swelling of the ankles). The other category, known as neuropsychological damage, involves the development of memory loss, behavior changes, depression and mood swings, or psychotic symptoms.
Who is at risk?
The Food and Drug Administration requested that fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine be recalled in September 1997. Until then, they had received over 100 reports of adverse events associated with the use of fen phen or one other monotherapy agents (fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine). In 1996 a ceiling of 6 million Americans (mostly women and all were obese) had fen phen. In 1996, 18 million prescriptions were written for the drug in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Diseases have published statistics on drug-related. According to the CDC, 30% of people who have made this association may be defective heart valve. Unfortunately, patients who show signs of these disorders often has no symptoms at the time of evaluation. Therefore, anyone who took these drugs should be evaluated by a doctor.
Disclaimer:
These drugs are often prescribed by many doctors, even if the association has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. However, doctors were under the assumption that the individual and combined drug they were safe. Wyeth, the maker of fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine aware that these drugs have been associated with impaired heart, the need for valve replacement and cardiac death. From 1989 to 1996 Wyeth reported that there were only four cases of PPH associated drugs. The real figure is much higher. Unfortunately, most patients used the drug successfully regained weight they lost.
Recoverable Damages:
People suffering from primary pulmonary hypertension in May seeking to recover damages linked to physical pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost income and punitive damages. People with fen-phen related damage valves heart are eligible to participate in a national consensus for action class. Those who suffer from primary pulmonary hypertension or neuropsychological damage must file individual lawsuits by lawyers involved in these disputes.
About the Author
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 http://www.jbclawfirm.com
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