Fen Phen & Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) Lawsuit

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Fen Phen is the common name for a drug combination containing fenfluramine and phentermine. This combination has been used by millions of people as an anti-obesity medication and appetite suppressant. Fen Phen works by affecting the levels of serotonin in the brain, reducing the impulses that alert the body when it is time to eat.

The usage of Fen Phen has been linked to numerous reports of pulmonary arterial hypertension, heart valve damage, and neurological issues. Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rare condition where the blood vessels of the arteries in and around the lungs become stiff and thicken, restricting the flow of blood and causing abnormally high blood pressure. This condition can eventually cause heart failure, due to the heart having to work much harder to pump the blood throughout the body. Researchers have found that an individual’s risk of developing pulmonary arterial hypertension increases dramatically after using Fen Phen for as little as three months. One study placed the risk increase at 43%, meaning that someone who has taken Fen Phen for at least three months is 43% more likely to develop pulmonary arterial hypertension than an individual that has not taken the medication.

Typical symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension include chest pain, dizziness, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and swelling of the legs and ankles. Because the symptoms are generally mild, individuals experiencing symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension may dismiss them as a general feeling of being under the weather and not have them checked out by a doctor until the symptoms reach a dangerous intensity. In some cases, pulmonary arterial hypertension can remain asymptomatic for as much as ten years, giving the individual affected no indication that they have developed this deadly condition.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is difficult to diagnose due to the fact that the common symptoms of the disorder are the same as many other conditions or may not appear at all. Early diagnosis is key in pulmonary arterial hypertension because the longer the disease is allowed to progress, the more damage it can cause. When pulmonary arterial hypertension is suspected, a battery of tests must be performed to rule out any other conditions that may be causing the symptoms. There is no cure for pulmonary arterial hypertension, but the symptoms can be treated and the progression of the disease can be slowed or stopped by proper medication and lifestyle changes. The median survival period for individuals with pulmonary arterial hypertension is three years after diagnosis.

The association between pulmonary arterial hypertension and Fen Phen is one of the most well known incidents of an adverse event due to a drug. In 1997, the US Food and Drug Administration requested a Fen Phen recall due to the high risk of many life-threatening adverse effects associated with the usage of the medication. To date, thousands of individuals have experienced serious complications, including pulmonary arterial hypertension, heart valve damage, heart failure, and death, because they believed that Fen Phen was safe to consume.

There have been many lawsuits levied against the manufacturer of Fen Phen since the linked between pulmonary arterial hypertension and Fen Phen became well known. Experts believe that new cases of pulmonary arterial hypertension related to Fen Phen use will continue to arise as individuals who have shown no signs of the disorder to date will find that they have developed the condition. Many of these cases will be found during routine medical testing or will be suspected because of a recent appearance of symptoms relating to pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is believed that there are over 100,000 people in the United States living with pulmonary arterial hypertension, but only ¼ of them have been positively diagnosed by a physician.

Do I have a Fen Phen or Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Lawsuit?

The Defective Drug Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus exclusively on the representation of plaintiffs in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) and Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (IPAH) lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new Fen Phen cases in all 50 states.

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