PPH NEWS is an education-based resource site that provides information on the health issues surrounding Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH), including what it is, the symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment options.
This website also provides resource to learn more about your legal rights and remedies if you or someone you know has developed PPH due to the use of diet drugs such as Fen Phen.

Get a FREE Evaluation

Select a state Alaska Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware D.C. Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Select your state to
contact a PPH Lawyer

PPH News

February 12, 2006

Antidepressants increase risk of Pulmonary Hypertension

According to a study released February 8, 2006, women who take Paxil, Zoloft, and other antidepressants late in their pregnancies are at an increased risk of delivering babies with a serious lung condition called persistent or primary pulmonary hypertension.

While this condition is commonly called primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) in adults, the condition is given the name persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) when it affects infants. The term "persistent" is applied because it is common for infants to be born with high pressure in the lungs. Typically, this high pressure decreases in the first hours and days of life. Infants whose circulation systems are unable to adapt to breathing outside the womb have what is called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.

About one to two infants in the general population are born with primary pulmonary hypertension. Of these infants, ten to twenty percent will die. According to researchers, the risk of a newborn developing PPHN is SIX times greater for women who used an SSRI antidepressant during the third trimester, compared to those in the general population. While this risk appears to be rare, this possible antidepressant drug side effect may be significant.

While the recent study gave no clear indication that women should NOT take Paxil, Prozac, Celexa, or Zoloft during pregnancy, the New England Journal of Medicine study prompted significant concern within the FDA. The federal agency hastily called a news conference to address the results. According to an FDA spokesperson, "This appears to be a well-conducted study and we find the results to be very concerning."

Researchers at the University of California, including the lead author of the antidepressants study, Christina Chambers, pregnant women who suffer from depression or other psychological conditions need to speak with their doctors to determine the best and safest course of treatment.

Another doctor, Jennifer Woo M.D. at a New York City hospital, adds, "I think that there are a certain number of patients who have severe depression for whom SSRIs do work who need to continue them during pregnancy. Other patients with less severe depression may want to go off."

This study was published following an number of others warning of antidepressant drug side effects. A small study published just two days before in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that newborns born to women taking SSRIs were at an increased risk of experiencing withdrawal symptoms from the drugs. A September 2005 study showed that taking Paxil in the first trimester increased the risk of birth defects. The use of SSRIs during pregnancy has also been associated with a 20 to 30 percent increased risk of "neonatal complications" which can range from jitters to breathing problems.

If you are concerned about the link between antidepressant medications and primary pulmonary hypertension, you may wish to discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your trusted health care professional. If your child have developed PPHN, you may wish to contact a lawyer who can help protect your legal interests.

FREE Case Evaluation for more information.

Click a state below to find a PPH Lawyer in your area.

top