Treatment Options

Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) Treatment

Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) is a chronic, progressive disease. There is no cure, but a variety of medical treatments are available to alleviate the symptoms. PPH treatment options range from medications to lung transplant surgery.

Some medications are taken orally or inhaled, others are given intravenously. Several involve pumping medication directly into the heart, 24 hours a day.

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The following is an overview of common treatment therapies. For specific information on the PPH treatment option that’s best for you, please consult your physician.

Decrease pulmonary vascular resistance:

• Vasodilators — Help reduce pulmonary blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels in the lungs.
• Oxygen
• Calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem (Cardizem) or nifedipine (Procardia)
• Prostacyclin (epoprostenol [Flolan]) or prostacyclin analogs
• Nitric oxide (investigational)
• Iloprost (Ventavis)
• Sildenafil (Revatio)
• Epoprostenol (Flolan)
• Trepostinil (Remodulin)
• Anticoagulants — Help decrease the tendency of the blood to clot in the lungs.
• Endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) — Block effects of endothelin, which causes blood vessels to narrow.
• Ambrisentan (Letairis)
• Bosentan (Tracleer)

Increase cardiac output:

• Short-term parenteral inotropes
• Digoxin

Reduce volume overload:

• Low-salt diet
• Diuretics

Perform lung transplantation or heart-lung transplantation

Thanks to continuing medical research, more drugs and other treatment options are available to PPH patients today. Yet, PPH treatment remains complex and highly individual. The attorneys of Hersh & Hersh can refer you to medical centers throughout the nation that are recognized for their expertise in treating people with PPH.

From our offices in San Francisco, California, the lawyers of Hersh & Hersh represent PPH victims throughout the nation. If you developed PPH after taking Fen-Phen, please contact our law firm to arrange a free consultation.