Fen-Phen™

Here is an excerpt from The New England Journal of Medicine regarding Fen-Phen™:

"The use of anorexic drugs (mainly derivatives of fenfluramine) was associated with an increased risk of primary pulmonary hypertension (odds ratio with any anorexic-drug use, 6.3; 95 percent confidence interval, 3.0 to 13.2). "    Click here to read the complete article.

What is Fen-Phen™?

Before it was recalled in 1997, Fen-Phen™, marketed as Redux™, was hailed as a miracle by weary dieters. The combination of fenfluramine ("Fen") and phentermine ("Phen") was said to suppress appetites over a prolonged period without any of the troubling side effects, such as insomnia and nervousness, associated with other drugs. At the height of its popularity, 6 million users filled more than 18 million prescriptions for Fen-Phen™. Then studies surfaced showing a link between Fen-Phen™ and serious side effects such as Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. Within a matter of months, the FDA ordered special studies of Fen-Phen™ users and the manufacturer, Wyeth-Ayerst, Co., voluntarily yanked the drug from the market.

What is Primary Pulmonary Hypertension? Pulmonary hypertension ("PPH") is a rare blood vessel disorder of the lung in which the pressure in the pulmonary artery (the blood vessel that leads from the heart to the lungs) rises above normal levels and may become life threatening.

Although treatment for Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is improving, PPH is always incurable and often fatal. In addition, PPH can develop many years after Fen-Phen use.

The most common symptoms of PPH are related to difficulty with breathing. They include:

  • Progressive shortness of breath (especially with activity)
  • Hyperventilation (breathing harder and faster)
  • Fatigue (tiring easily)
  • Progressive weakness
  • Fainting spells
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness
  • Coughing up blood
  • Progressive cyanosis (blue tinge to lips hands and feet)

These symptoms may occur at presentation, or progress over a period of time. A patient with primary pulmonary hypertension must be monitored for these symptoms by routine visits to their cardiologist or pulmonologist. If any new symptoms develop, patients should notify their doctor immediately.

A physical examination of patients with primary pulmonary hypertension may show:

  • Distension of veins in the neck
  • Swelling of the legs and hands due to fluid retention
  • Enlarged liver

We Can Help

If you have taken Fen-Phen™ and have been diagnosed with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, then we can help. The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker has assembled a team of experienced product liability lawyers to handle your Fen-Phen case. For a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation, please fill out a form, send us an email, or call us at (800) 333-0000. No recovery, no fee! Serving all of California, and now in Arizona with offices in Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma. We'll Fight For You! ™

(Arizona clients will be liable for expenses regardless of the outcome unless the repayment of such is contingent upon the outcome of the matter and the percentage fee will be computed before expenses are deducted from the recovery.)

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