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Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is caused by elevated blood pressure in the lungs. This disease results from a blockage of the flow of blood or oxygen through the lungs. Let's review the Primary Pulmonary Hypertension symptoms and diagnosis.
The most common symptoms of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension include shortness of breath, hyperventilation, fatigue, weakness which progresses, fainting, dizziness, coughing up blood, and the development of blue tinge to your skin.
While Primary Pulmonary Hypertension may not reveal itself until it is well advanced, one of the main symptoms, however, is swollen ankles. These symptoms may occur over a period of time. If you have been diagnosed with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, it is important that you be monitored for these symptoms by establishing routine visits to your cardiologist or PPH specialist. If any new symptoms occur, call your PPH specialist immediately.
Some people with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension mistake feeling tired with being out of shape. However, difficulty in breathing, dizziness, and even fainting spells are also typical early symptoms. Swelling in the ankles or legs, bluish lips and skin, and chest pain are among other symptoms of the disease. Some may also complain of a racing pulse, and many feel they have trouble getting enough air. Palpitations can also cause discomfort.
An examination by your PPH specialist may show distension of the veins in your neck, swelling of the legs or hands, and an enlarged liver. All of these conditions indicate that the right ventricle of your heart is working hard to pump blood into the lungs blood vessels. This may be a clear indication that you are suffering from Primary Pulmonary Hypertension.
In addition, you may want to note that your PPH specialist may not immediately diagnose PPH right away. If you have been on the drug Fen-Phen for weight loss, for example, the time frame from the time you took the drug to developing symptoms is roughly ten years.
Even in its later stages, however, the signs of the disease can often be confused with other conditions affecting the heart and lungs. Therefore, it is vital that you inform your PPH specialist that you were taking the drug Fen-Phen and the length of time as well. In this way, most of the conditions associated with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension can be excluded.
In an effort to determine the extent of the disease, your PPH specialist may wish to perform several tests. A cardiac catheterization is the way the doctor can make certain that the condition is due to Primary Pulmonary Hypertension and not attribute it to some other condition.
Additional tests may be performed, such as: an electrocardiogram, which will show enlargement of the right side of the heart; a chest X-ray may show enlargement of the size of the heart; an echocardiogram or ultrasound of the heart will be performed initially and can also be used to follow the progression of the disease. An echocardiogram can show enlargement of the right ventricle and can sometimes estimate the pressures of the right ventricle and pulmonary arteries; and, as mentioned above, a cardiac catheterization.
The one test by which a clear diagnosis of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension can be made by your PPH specialist is a cardiac catheterization. This will actually measure the pressures on the right side of the heart. Various drugs may be used during a cardiac catheterization to determine if the blood vessels in the lungs will relax in response to them. This may lower the pressures in the lungs and can help guide therapy.
Unfortunately, those who have Primary Pulmonary Hypertension do not seek medical advice by a PPH specialist until they can no longer go about their daily routine. The more severe the symptoms, the more advanced the disease. In these more advanced stages, the individual is only able to perform minimal activity and has symptoms even when resting. The disease may worsen to the point where the individual is completely bedridden.
It is vital, therefore, that if you suspect or have symptoms of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, and it has been confirmed by your PPH specialist, that you seek out a PPH attorney. It is your right to seek action against the drug company who produced the drug Fen-Phen, and to fully engage in a lawsuit in order to seek damages through claims facilitated by a qualified PPH attorney. You are entitled to receive compensation for medical treatments, punitive damages, and loss of earnings.
A PPH attorney, who specializes in pharmaceutical litigation in general, and Fen-Phen in particular, has no doubt seen a multitude of legal cases surrounding this drug by those seeking not only to protect their health and that of their loved ones. It is clear, therefore, that you should take advantage of the legal recourse that is available by contacting a PPH attorney.
Author Resource:- Nick Johnson is lead counsel with Johnson Law Group. Johnson represents plaintiffs in many states and focuses on injury cases involving Fen-Phen and PPH, Paxil, Mesothelioma and Nursing Home Abuse. Call Nick Johnson at 1-888-311-5522 or visit http://www.jbclawfirm.com for a free case evaluation.
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