|
Causes of Pulmonary Hypertension
it is estimated that there are one to two cases per million
or 300 new cases of primary pulmonary hypertension PPH per
year. Use of certain appetite suppressants has been found
to increase the risk of developing primary pulmonary hypertension
(PPH), especially use lasting more than three months.
Studies estimate that treatment with certain diet drugs increases
the risk of getting PPH from about one to 28 cases per million
person-years (one person-year represents a patient treated
for one year). Two drugs associated with PPH, fenfluramine
(Fen Phen) and dexfenfluramine (Redux), were taken off the
market in September 1997 after being linked to heart valve
damage.
The crisis began in the early 1990s with the campaign of
American Home Products to advocate the use of Fen with Phen,
in the so-called "Cocktail." Then the FDA approved
Redux in 1996. These horrific mistakes culminated in the FDA
pulling Fen and Redux in September of 1997. What was billed
as a cure for obesity, has turned into a tragedy. Not only
is there concern that these drugs kill, evolving research
indicates that up to 30% of those who took these drugs are
suffering from irregular heartbeats, and some of those who
took them may have suffered brain damage.
List of diet drugs associated with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension:
|
