PPH Lawyer

PPH – Worse than the Disease Avandia was Meant to Cure

The overwhelming amount of news that has inundated our televisions, radios and Internet browsers regarding the prescription drug Avandia recently has created a firestorm of attention, and not the positive kind, towards the drug, its manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, and the potential legal fallout for those who have been injured as a result of using this medication.

However, relatively little coverage has been dedicated to the conditions that Avandia was meant to treat and the condition to which the use of Avandia has been linked. Most of the media coverage has tied Avandia to the increased risk of heart failure, but that heart failure is usually more the result than the cause of the true underlying condition caused by Avandia – Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, better known as PPH. Below is a look at both of these conditions, but if you have been harmed as a result of using Avandia, contact a PPH lawyer at Williams Kherkher immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.

Type 2 Diabetes

Avandia was formulated, approved and marketed for the purpose of helping patients manage their type 2 diabetes, which is also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of this disease, and it generally involves a person who is either not able to produce enough insulin or whose cells somehow ‘ignore’ the insulin the body produces, creating a shortfall for a substance that the circulatory system needs to transport blood sugar to cells around the body. Avandia was meant to be used in conjunction with a detailed program that included a healthy diet and a regular routine of exercise to keep blood sugar levels at an acceptable level.

PPH

The unexpected and most unfortunate result of taking Avandia for many has been the development of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, or PPH. PPH is a condition whereby the blood vessels near the lungs progressively narrow, which means that blood has to work harder to reach its destination. This increased work rate leads to a higher blood pressure, and this heightened blood pressure is what can lead to even more serious conditions, such as heart attacks and strokes.

As you see, while type 2 diabetes can lead to terrible consequences if not treated properly, PPH can be just as deadly, and whether one condition is more serious than another is almost irrelevant if you’ve been harmed as a result of taking Avandia. No one should face one dangerous condition in place of another, which is why you need to contact a PPH lawyer at Williams Kherkher today if you’ve suffered as a result of taking this medication.