Treatment of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a rare lung disorder in which the blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries rises above normal levels, creating additional stress and work for the heart. It occurs in the absence of other diseases in the heart and lungs. It is marked by shortness of breath, dizziness, and fainting, all worsened by exertion or exercise. According to the American Lung Association, there were 3,065 deaths attributable to PPH in 2000. PPH usually affects women between the ages of 21 and 40.

No one knows exactly what causes PPH. It is linked to familial history, immune system diseases, and the ingestion of certain drugs. Appetite suppressant use, especially a dosage lasting more than three months, is linked to increase in the incidence of PPH and heart valve damage.

The prognosis for people diagnosed with PPH varies. The median survival period is three years after diagnosis; however, the survival rate is longer for those without heart failure and for those diagnosed after the age of forty.

Treatment for primary pulmonary hypertension cannot cure or halt the progression of the disease but can relieve the symptoms. Some drugs know as vasodilators dilate the blood vessels in the lungs. This dilation helps to reduce blood pressure, helping to relieve strain on the heart as well. However, such drugs must be evaluated with heart tests, as they can cause serious side effects in some patients. Another shortcoming of vasodilators is that they rarely normalize the elevated blood pressure and must be consumed in high doses to achieve the desired effect.

A blood thinning drug is also another treatment option for those diagnosed with PPH. Anticoagulants, or drugs than discourage blood clotting, especially in the lungs, may be beneficial. Supplemental oxygen is often recommended by doctors as low blood oxygen levels is a side effect of PPH. Lung transplants are a viable option for patients with severe PPH.

Sometimes, if the patient's heart is also diseased, a heart-lung transplant may also be performed. Lung transplant is an extreme measure for patients with life-threatening PPH. To qualify for a transplant, patients aged twelve and older are evaluated according to the Lung Allocation Scoring (LAS) system which evaluates their health and need. Lungs are then awarded based on patient need, rather than how long they have been on a waiting list. Survival rates are generally very high at the one year mark but lower at five and ten year follow-ups. Transplanted lungs usually last three to five years before showing signs of failure.

Joseph Devine

If you are interested in learning more, primary pulmonary hypertension can help.

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Several Different Kinds Of Pulmonary Hypertension Treatment Alternatives

By: Gina G. Stewart

Essentially, every pulmonary hypertension treatment must aim at eliminating or at least dealing with the underlying causes of the condition. What's more, there are several different kinds of pulmonary hypertension treatment options available that you can choose from though even the best of these treatments cannot completely cure the problem.

Calcium Channel Blocking Drugs

The first pulmonary hypertension treatment option worth trying out is Calcium Channel Blocking Drugs that aid the heart in pumping blood in a more relaxed manner by relaxing the heart muscles.

Secondly, you can also use Endothelin Receptor Antagonists or ERAs as another pulmonary hypertension treatment option and these medications work by reversing the effects of a substance called endothelin that normally causes the blood vessels to constrict.

Continuously Infused Epoprostenol (Flolan) is another pulmonary hypertension treatment option which involves use of a drug that helps in reversing as well as dilating the thickening of blood vessels in the lungs and so prevents the possibility of further blood clotting. This drug must be continuously administered through an implanted catheter as well as with a portable pump that is operated by batteries.

Anticoagulants are also quite effective as a pulmonary hypertension treatment as they help improve blood flow and they also prevent blood clotting. Diuretics are good for retaining water which then ensures that the heart does not need to work quite so hard.

Digoxin is a drug that too helps your heart to pump blood in a more relaxed manner. In addition, pulmonary hypertension treatment means making changes to your lifestyle which in turn means having to get sufficient rest and eat a healthy diet as well as performs regular exercises as well as reduces stress in your life.

In addition, for people looking for effective pulmonary hypertension treatment there is need for them to give up smoking and becoming pregnant too is out of the question as too is taking birth control pills and additionally it requires avoiding high altitudes.

Furthermore, pulmonary hypertension treatment requires taking supplemental oxygen and in extreme cases it can mean having to get your heart or heart-lung transplanted. The last named method is used to treat patients with severe pulmonary hypertension.

Secondary pulmonary hypertension on the other hand is a condition in which the blood vessels within the lung become adversely affected and one of the main reasons for such a condition arising is a lung disease or because of diseases to related organs. This condition leads to breathing difficulties and especially after exerting yourself physically.

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Flolan Treatment For Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (pph)

Do you have pulmonary hypertension? This medical disorder, which is more serious in some patients than for others, occurs when blood pressure increases in the pulmonary artery to the point where blood flow to the lungs is restricted and the heart becomes overworked.

This, in turn, results in a myriad of unpleasant symptoms ranging from lightheadedness and dizziness to fainting spells and shortness of breath or breathing difficulties, and is marked by a dramatically reduced physical activity and exercise tolerance.

Although there are many different types (venous, hypoxic, arterial, thromboembolic, or primary) as well as specific causes (ranging from pulmonary embolism, heart disorders, and autoimmune disorders to genetics and the use of certain weight-loss pills) of pulmonary hypertension, the condition known as primary pulmonary hypertension, or PPH, refers to pulmonary hypertension with a cause that is unknown or unproven in nature.

However, one specific cause that has often been linked to primary pulmonary hypertension is the use of Fen-Phen, a popular weight-loss and anti-obesity pill until the FDA took it off the market in 1997 after more and more reports surfaced, linking its use to the potential development of primary pulmonary hypertension.

Effective PPH treatment is essential if you have primary pulmonary hypertension, no matter why or how you developed this disorder. Flolan, a vasodilator FDA-approved drug as well as a natural form of prostacyclin produced by Glaxo Wellcome, Inc., is one of the more common choices for PPH treatment for a number of reasons. It works by relaxing the lungs' blood vessels, slowing down the production of cell growth and scar tissue there, preventing the vessels from narrowing, and increasing oxygen in the blood.

Patients who take Flolan treatment notice an improvement in their level of physical activity and exercise, and it may prolong their lives. Flolan treatment is also considered an alternative to having a lung transplant. Finally, because it is a natural form of PPH treatment, Flolan is often preferred over other types of PPH treatment.

However, Flolan is not taken as an oral tablet to treat primary pulmonary hypertension; it is actually quite a bit more complicated than that. Instead, the body receives it intravenously via a catheter through a vein in the chest leading to the heart.

The drug is then pumped into the patient's system slowly but continuously through a battery-operated pump generally carried inside a little shoulder pack or worn on the belt. In addition, Flolan is natural and therefore has a short shelf life, meaning it must be mixed daily as well as refrigerated. The fact that Flolan is generally considered to be inconvenient for some to use is one of the drug's biggest complaints.

However, because it is a natural, biological substance and agent, using Flolan treatment has fewer and less serious side-effects than other types of PPH treatment, such as Tracleer. The most common side-effects associated with Flolan include headaches, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, jaw pain, and flushing. Very rarely do infections occur within the catheter, but when they do occur, hospitalization and replacement may be necessary.

Flolan is often compared to other types of PPH treatment and drugs used for primary pulmonary hypertension, the most common of which are Remodulin and Tracleer. Flolan and Remodulin are quite similar in a number of ways (how they work and side-effects), but while Remodulin lasts longer than Flolan and does not need to be mixed or refrigerated daily, the location of the injection (abdominal area) must be changed often, and significant pain can develop in the injection area.

Tracleer is considered much more convenient to take than Flolan because Tracleer is taken orally as a tablet; however, it does have more and more serious side-effects, particularly related to the liver.

If Flolan treatment sounds like something that would work well for you in your lifestyle and situation and for treating your primary pulmonary hypertension, talk to your doctor about taking Flolan to find out if it's right for you. Keep in mind that Flolan does require a prescription.

If you have personally used Fen-Phen as a drug to help you lose weight (particularly substantial amounts of weight) in the past and you now suffer from primary pulmonary hypertension and require PPH treatment, there could very well be a link between the two. Did you know that law firms specializing in cases like these can help you? Contact an established law firm that specializes in helping patients who have used Fen-Phen diet pills and now may have primary pulmonary hypertension or other medical condition or complication as a result.

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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