The Epidemic Called Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)

Since the release of this medical news, millions of people who consumed Fen Phen now believe their ailments are due to Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is a deadly disease that is able to occur within a person who has never taken any of the above drugs. Only occurring in less than three people per million, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is an extremely rare disease. People suffering from PPH experience several different symptoms. Being short breathed, also known as dyspnea, feelings of fatigue, continuous pain felt in the chest area and dizziness are just a few of the minor symptoms a person with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension may experience. When a person develops Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, his or her blood pressure will dramatically rise in the pulmonary arteries. The specific action of the pulmonary arteries blood pressure rising is called hypertension. To simplify the definition into non-medical terms, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is dangerously high blood pressure in the lungs.

Typically, low oxygenated blood is brought from the right ventricle of the heart through the pulmonary arteries. Afterwards the hearts right side will pump the low oxygenated blood into both sides of the lungs. This is how the body receives much-needed oxygen. Following voyage through the right side of the heart and then to the left side, the blood is able to travel through the aorta to the rest of the body. However, with someone suffering from Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, the body works inappropriately. The lungs very small blood vessels transform and then seal. When this occurs, the closed blood vessels prevent the flow of blood, thus causing the pressure in the pulmonary artery to increase about three times.

Since Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is such a harmful and often deadly disease, the typical rate of survival after being diagnosed is generally less then thirty-six months. Uncommon in most cases of PPH, early detection and early treatment can prolong the three year average up to ten years.