• Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
• PPH Symptoms
• PPH Diagnosis
• PPH Causes
• PPH Treatment
  • Ambrisentan
  • Tracleer
  • Flolan
  • Remodulin
  • Prostacyclin
  • Lung Transplants
  • Thelin
• Diet Drugs and PPH
• Legal Remedies for PPH

Primary Pulmonary Hypertension Symptoms, PPH Symptoms

Primary pulmonary hypertension occurs when blood pressure in the artery connecting the heart and lung (pulmonary artery) is higher than normal. The elevated pressure causes the heart to work harder to pump blood into the lungs. Also, the higher pressure makes it more difficult for blood to enter the lungs and for the lungs to infuse the blood with oxygen. Primary pulmonary hypertension causes have been shown to include use of the diet drugs Fen Phen, Redux (dexfenfluramine) and Pondimin (fenfluramine).

Symptoms of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

PPH symptoms are those that are normally associated with the body having less oxygen in the blood. Early symptoms may include shortness of breath following exercise or exertion. Although, the very early symptoms of PPH are minor and diagnosis may be delayed for several years until symptoms worsen. As the disease progresses and less blood can be pumped through the lungs, more serious symptoms appear;

• Excessive Fatigue
• Difficulty in Breathing
• Dizziness
• Fainting and weakness
• Ankle and extremity swelling

In very advanced stages of primary pulmonary hypertension, patients can experience chest pain and their lips and skin may appear bluish.

One of the great difficulties in diagnosing and treating PPH is that the disease is slowly progressing and the symptoms have an insidious onset. Thus, many patients ignore their symptoms for years and seek medical help only when their chronic fatigue and fainting spells cause major problems, such as serious car accidents. In fact, driving while being constantly tired is extremely dangerous and has often been likened to DUI.

Difficult to Detect

It is often difficult to detect primary pulmonary hypertension in a routine clinical examination, even when the disease has progressed. This is because the symptoms may be confused with other conditions that affect the lungs and heart. PPH symptoms are not unique and specific tests are needed for a PPH diagnosis.

Precise diagnosis is important because it allows doctors to prescribe effective treatments that address the underlying causes of PPH. In addition, the diagnostic process can reveal if a patient's PPH was caused by someone's negligence, in which case he or she might be entitled to compensation. For example, the use of certain diet drugs, such as Fen Phen, has been linked to the onset of PPH symptoms. Experienced personal injury lawyers can help victims of Fen Phen who have developed PPH obtain rightful remuneration and resolve a variety of legal issues arising from their conditions. For example, they can help PPH victims whose family lives have suffered as a result of this medical tragedy obtain a divorce and resolve many other issues requiring help of a family attorney.

Last Revision: June 23, 2009

MediaFact is a noteworthy Internet resource about drug side effects connected with Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Primary Pulmonary Hypertension.