After the miracle diet drug, Fen Phen, was introduced in the early 90's, nearly 6.5 million people consumed the drug. The reason for such a large consumption was the immediate weight loss associated with the drug. However, after ties between Fen Phen and the fatal Primary Pulmonary Hypertension were established, American Home Products removed the drug from the market in mid September of '97.
While Fen Phen supporters did not want to believe the horrible side effects that would befall some, they soon came to the realization that the drug was quite harmful. Soon after Fen Phen was pulled from American shelves, evidence implicating AHP of withholding serious knowledge of the harmful side effects the drug would cause came to light.
Since millions of people had taken the diet drug Fen Phen, a large percentage of these people were experiencing drastic side effects, and in some cases even death. Many people say they would pay any price to lose weight. However, death was not the price they wanted to pay.
A large number of the lawsuits filed in state court were filed because of the different effects Fen Phen caused on people's health. The people filing suit were seeking some type of compensation for the rising medical bills they were incurring.
In late 1997, every single federal Fen Phen case was transferred to the United States District Court. This event started a series of nationwide Fen Phen settlements. In mid-November of 99, preliminary approval was given to the settlement class. In order to find that the agreement reached in the settlement was fair, the district court held a hearing.
In August of 2000, the settlement agreement was awarded approval. Thus creating the American Home Products Settlement Trust. After attempts to overturn the court's ruling, the AHP gave in to the settlement.
If you are a patient who has suffered from PPH (Primary Pulmonary Hypertension) caused by the diet drug Fen Phen, then you should know that you are not part of the settlement agreement with AHP. All Primary Pulmonary Hypertension patients are required to file independent lawsuits to make any legal claim.
Cured of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension:
Like many other deadly diseases, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) 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 pulmonary primary hypertension 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, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension 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.
