Subscribe to Posts (RSS) and Comments (RSS)

April 2008

Monthly Archive

PPHN Can Be Avoided with Proper Education

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 3:41 PM, Wednesday Apr 30th, 2008

With the popularity of over the counter medications and pharmaceuticals most of us are simply used to being able to walk into our neighborhood drugstore and purchase the cure to whatever ails us. However, this increasing dependence on pharmaceuticals, unfortunately, also makes us somewhat apathetic to the possible side effects of taking such drugs; and so we miss information that should be communicated to us far more effectively.

Such is often the case with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Paxil® - drugs that have been so enormously effective in treating depression and anxiety and to which millions of people turn on a daily basis to help them mitigate symptoms of each. But while Paxil® has been shown to be safe for users under typical circumstances – in most cases treating users with very few side effects – it has been shown to be potentially dangerous during pregnancy; information that has failed to be imparted appropriately to pregnant women.

In fact, the taking of Paxil® during pregnancy has been shown to increase a woman’s chances of giving birth to a child with PPHN by six-fold. PPHN refers to Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn – a rare but serious condition that can end in respiratory distress for the child.

PPHN impacts the newborn’s ability to pump blood to their own lungs; arteries that normally expand to allow blood flow to the lungs remain constricted even after birth. PPHN must be treated quickly and proactively but respiratory failure is always a possibility.

Paxil® attorneys in California work with families impacted by PPHN in order to help them get the financial restitution they need to fund their child’s medical care. But beyond this, Paxil® attorneys in California ultimately understand that PPHN connected to Paxil® use is completely avoidable – if pregnant women (or those planning an upcoming pregnancy) are given all the information. Paxil® attorneys in California work to make sure that this information reaches the public on a larger scale and that women and their babies are protected.

Popularity: 36% [?]

Paxil® Attorneys in California on the Front Lines of Pharmaceutical Law

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 10:08 AM, Tuesday Apr 29th, 2008

We live in an age where we are lucky enough to have access to medications that can treat virtually any condition with which we may find ourselves struggling; the development of particular pharmaceuticals cannot be called anything less than miraculous - evidenced by the significant impact they have had on society as a whole, and often allowing those who are sick to treat their condition and move on with their lives. But with such innovation comes enormous responsibility, and consumers have not yet realized that they only have themselves on which to rely when it comes to making sure they are educated.

The truth is that many pharmaceuticals – while often safe and effective under normal circumstances – cannot make that same claim under the condition of pregnancy. Paxil®, for example, is used to treat depression and anxiety in millions of people; like other Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) of its kind, Paxil® has been used with little to no side effects under normal circumstances. But reports as early as 2001 have indicated that continued Paxil® use during pregnancy could result in a six times higher than average incidence of PPHN or Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn.

PPHN is a disease that befalls newborns very rarely but when it does its impact can be catastrophic. Normally upon birth, the respiratory system of the newborn baby begins working on its own to receive its first breaths. But with PPHN, the arteries that would normally expand to receive blood flow to and from the lungs remain constricted. The result, in the worst cases, could mean respiratory distress and even failure.

Paxil® attorneys in California are working on the front line of this issue to ensure that families impacted by Paxil® related PPHN receive their just financial due. Further, by drawing as much attention to this condition as possible, Paxil® attorneys in California hope to better educate the public – and in particular pregnant women – on the dangers of Paxil® use during pregnancy.

Popularity: 40% [?]

Paxil® Attorneys in California Understand How Information is Best Disseminated

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 5:34 AM, Saturday Apr 26th, 2008

The world of pharmaceuticals in our country is so complex – and inherently so overwhelming – that many of us simply fail to understand the ramifications of certain medications. The complexity of the drug industry as a whole is probably most evidenced – in layman’s terms – by the commercials that they air during our prime time shows; glossy human interest advertisements that showcase a consumer and how their life has changed with the help of this particular medication – only to bombard us within seconds with a list of possible side effects, read at an auctioneer’s pace.

If pharmaceuticals – and their litany of side effects – are difficult to sort through under normal circumstances, it stands to reason how much more challenging they can be during pregnancy, when there are a variety of other things to consider. The fact is that when our doctors tell us that something is safe to take during pregnancy, we tend to believe them. And so it happens that pregnant women everywhere are still taking Paxil® during pregnancy – even when reports have surfaced concerning the strong connection between Paxil® use and a condition known as PPHN.

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn (PPHN) is a rare condition that affects a newborn’s otherwise normal ability to pump blood to their lungs where it becomes oxygenated. When a baby is born their arteries expand and they – for the first time – began breathing on their own. PPHN restricts the arteries of these newborns and does not allow the blood to pump freely to the lungs. The result can be respiratory distress and even failure.

The most alarming fact is that the incidences of PPHN are nearly six-fold when a pregnant woman takes Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Paxil® - drugs that treat depression and anxiety and have done so safely under all other conditions.

Paxil® attorneys in California that work with families affected by PPHN understand that it is about more than just meeting that particular family’s needs – although that is the priority. Paxil® attorneys in California understand that in representing a case such as this in court there is a greater good that can come from it – delivering much needed information to society at large.

Popularity: 36% [?]

Paxil® Attorneys Help Speak for Those Who Are Unable

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 7:35 AM, Wednesday Apr 23rd, 2008

There is no one more vulnerable on this earth than a newborn baby. They turn to us to meet all of their basic needs – food, warmth, sustenance on every level. When we are unable to meet their needs it is among the most heartbreaking and frustrating events in any parent’s life. Such is often the case when children are born with life-threatening conditions such as PPHN – or Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn.

PPHN refers to the condition wherein a newborn is unable to begin normal respiratory function that typically happens upon birth. Until they enter the world, babies in their mother’s womb receive their oxygen straight from their mother through the umbilical cord, from where they receive all the nutrients necessary for survival. But once born, the cord is cut and babies begin breathing on their own; their arteries expand and blood is pumped to the lungs where it becomes oxygenated. Oxygen is then delivered throughout the rest of the body by way of the bloodstream. With PPHN, however, the newborn’s arteries remain constricted and blood is not pumped as it should be to the lungs. The results can be disastrous and even result in complete respiratory failure from which the newborn does not recover.

Most upsetting is the fact that PPHN can be caused by the mother’s taking of a very common drug prescribed in modern times - Paxil®, a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) that is used to treat depression and anxiety.

Fueled by the need to seek answers for their child’s condition, many parents turn to Paxil® attorneys in California – a group that is already doing much work in the world of the Paxil®/PPHN connection. Through Paxil® attorneys in California parents are able to seek the financial restitution they need to help fund the medical treatment of their child. Further, through Paxil® attorneys in California parents are able to inform other expectant families about the dangers of PPHN.

Popularity: 38% [?]

Paxil® Attorneys in California Inform Paxil® Users

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 11:12 AM, Monday Apr 21st, 2008

There are a great many of us who count among our daily medications the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) known as Paxil®. A widely prescribed and used medication, Paxil® is taken to help abate the symptoms of anxiety and depression and has been used in this capacity since the early 1990s.

While ordinarily considered safe – with side effects normally few and far between – there surfaced subsequent information – released in the early 2000s - regarding Paxil® use during pregnancy. Specifically it was shown that Paxil® use during pregnancy increased a woman’s risk by six-fold of delivering a baby that suffers from PPHN - Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn. PPHN is a serious – and possibly life-threatening condition – that affects the respiratory system of a newborn baby. With PPHN, the arteries that typically expand to allow blood flow remain constricted thus inhibiting blood flow to the lungs and the functioning of the entire respiratory system. Children with PPHN face dire consequences if not treated quickly and proactively; in some cases treatment is not enough and babies ultimately succumb to their condition.

Paxil® attorneys in California have been working diligently to help families impacted by PPHN to receive the financial restitution they deserve. And certainly this money is enormously helpful with ongoing medical care as well as helping families offset the enormous expenses they face by loss of wages, travel to and from the hospital, meals, and the like.

But more importantly, the work done by Paxil® attorneys in California is meant to serve a higher purpose. Such information set forth in a court of law is meant to get the word out on a greater scale – the target audience being pregnant women and the doctors that are treating them. By informing the public of ramifications of Paxil® use during pregnancy, Paxil® attorneys in California are helping to ensure a lower incidence of PPHN for which Paxil® use is responsible in the future.

Popularity: 47% [?]

Treatment for PPHN Often Helped by Paxil® Attorneys in California

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 7:48 PM, Sunday Apr 20th, 2008

There is nothing quite so upsetting as the sickness of a child – especially a newborn baby. For those children who are impacted by disease or illness there is nothing that we will not do to help them survive and achieve health. Such is the case with a rare but serious condition known as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn, known as PPHN.

PPHN describes a condition in which a newborn baby’s arteries – which normally open upon birth and allow blood to move freely through them to the lungs – remain constricted, thus restricting blood flow. As a result blood is unable to reach the lungs and become oxygenated. Subsequently, oxygen is not able to be delivered to the rest of the body. Treatment for PPHN must be comprehensive and immediate. And even with treatment some babies are unable to recover and succumb to respiratory failure.

Of course medical treatment of any kind is expensive. And those parents facing the implications of PPHN often turn to the legal system to help with finances. This is because there has been shown a concrete and startling connection between PPHN and a mother’s use of Paxil® during pregnancy – information that is not adequately imparted to pregnant women. Paxil® is normally a safe and effective drug used to treat depression and anxiety but in terms of pregnancy the ramifications can be disastrous.

Paxil® attorneys in California are fighting for the rights of those effected by PPHN and helping to get them the financial restitution they deserve – money that can be well used to help fund medical treatments that can ultimately save their child’s life, as well as offset the loss of wages that are often a result of one or both parents missing work to be with their child. But more importantly, the work of Paxil® attorneys in California help get the word out to pregnant women about the connection between Paxil® use and PPHN.

Popularity: 39% [?]

Paxil® Attorneys In California Can Help

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 6:34 AM, Wednesday Apr 16th, 2008

While there is nothing in the world that can take away the pain caused by things going wrong in the delivery room, there are ways women can fight back to help others avoid the ramifications of PPHN, or persistent pulmonary hypertension in the newborn.

PPHN is a potentially fatal respiratory complication that can prevent babies from getting the blood to their lungs they so desperately need upon delivery into the world. While PPHN does have more than one cause, a common link has been found between this condition and the use of Paxil® during pregnancy.

Paxil® is a normally safe and rather effective medication that is commonly used to treat anxiety and depression. It is a part of the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) family of medications. While SSRIs and Paxil® are generally quite safe, they have been linked PPHN when used during pregnancy. Unfortunately, all too often women are not counseled to stop taking Paxil® during pregnancy. The end result of continued use of Paxil® during pregnancy due to a failure of doctors to properly communication the risks can be the development of PPHN in the baby and even death.

So, what can women do to fight back?

Paxil® attorneys in California are working very hard to help. They assist in several ways. Beyond lawsuits and financial damage rewards to cover parents’ expenses, the best Paxil® attorneys in California are trying to make the complications of taking this medication during gestation known. Women can get involved by looking for Paxil® attorneys in California and working with them to raise awareness and make sure the potential side effects are made known to the general public.

PPHN is no laughing matter. Perhaps the most tragic thing about this condition is that in some cases it can be prevented. When this is the case, Paxil® attorneys in California can help women fight back.

Popularity: 41% [?]

Understanding PPHN

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 6:39 PM, Monday Apr 14th, 2008

Pregnant women wait for nine months to hear their little bundles of joy let out a first cry and watch them take their first breaths. Unfortunately, some women never get to see this. They are robbed of the chance thanks to a condition known as PPHN. PPHN, or persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, is a serious complication that can sometimes be prevented.

PPHN takes place when a baby’s lungs do not get the blood they require to begin respiration upon birth. This is a potentially fatal development that demands immediate medical intervention. Treatments include of oxygen and respirators to assist a newborn facing breathing problems. PPHN itself is rare, but incidents of it are beginning to make headlines thanks to Paxil® attorneys in California.

While it is true that PPHN does have several known causes, the use of Paxil® during pregnancy is one of them. All too often women who take Paxil® to control anxiety and depression are not counseled on the side effects of this medication during pregnancy. For whatever reason, they are not informed properly and continue taking this potentially dangerous medication during gestation. Paxil® attorneys in California are working to remedy this situation.

Paxil® itself is normally a very safe and rather effective prescription used to help control such things as anxiety and depression. It is a part of the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) family of medications that are commonly used. Although SSRIs are safe for everyday use, they are not safe during pregnancy. It has been demonstrated that use of Paxil® during pregnancy can increase the chances of a newborn developing PPHN.

Paxil® attorneys in California work with women and families who have been impacted by PPHN. While it is their intention to help families as much as they can, Paxil® attorneys in California have also made it a priority to spread the word about the potential side effects of Paxil® use during pregnancy. When women understand PPHN and the possible causes, they can take the right steps to lower the risks.

Popularity: 43% [?]

Paxil® Attorneys In California Are On A Mission

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 7:17 PM, Sunday Apr 13th, 2008

When women are armed with the right information, they can reduce the chances of complications arising during and after pregnancy. While it’s not possible to prevent every condition from arising, risks can often be reduced. This is why Paxil® attorneys in California are on a mission to help prevent PPHN.

PPHN, or Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn, is a condition that results when a baby’s lungs do not receive the blood they require after birth. When this happens, the baby can go into respiratory distress and require immediate medical intervention, including oxygen and respirator use. Some babies can recover from PPHN, but others do not make it.

PPHN has a number of causes – some preventable and others not. It is the former that Paxil® attorneys in California are on a mission to spread the word about. The known causes of PPHN include:

Stress – Stress that takes place while the baby is in the womb can cause PPHN. This arises in cases where a mother has high blood pressure, anemia or diabetes. It can also happen because of delivery after 40 weeks gestation.

Other medical causes – Meconium aspiration syndrome, pneumonia, infection, hypoglycemia and anemia are all linked with PPHN.

Use of SSRIs during pregnancy – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Paxil®, have been linked to the development of PPHN. While medications like Paxil® are considered safe and useful for the treatment of depression and anxiety under normal circumstances, PPHN is a side effect that can arise during pregnancy. Sadly, women are often not made fully aware of this risk. This is why Paxil® attorneys in California are stepping in to raise awareness.

Not every pregnancy complication can be prevented. In the case of PPHN, however, it sometimes can. When proper counseling is given about Paxil® use during pregnancy, the chances of PPHN presenting are reduced. Paxil® attorneys in California want to make sure this happens.

Popularity: 43% [?]

PPHN Requires Medical and Often Legal Assistance

Posted by Paxil and PPHN Editor @ 5:37 AM, Tuesday Apr 8th, 2008

Those who have struggled with the illness of their children know all too well of the issues that one faces on a daily basis. It is not enough to be in a constant state of anxiety – waiting to hear from the doctors on a minute to minute basis about the condition that is affecting your child, but parents also are made to suffer the injustice of having to deal with insurance companies, medical billing, and all the administrative details that surround a medical condition and extended hospital stay. With the condition known as PPHN – or Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn – the waiting game can be even more horrific as the condition affects newborn babies.

PPHN thwarts a newborn’s natural ability to begin pumping blood to their lungs following their birth. Without this crucial process, blood does not become oxygenated and is therefore unable to deliver oxygen throughout the rest of the body. The ramifications of PPHN can be disastrous and even deadly.

Of course parents who are facing PPHN along with their newborn baby are facing a struggle that they could have never imagined. Not only are they dealing with a medical team that is working to save their child’s life, they are dealing with the financial and legal repercussions of this condition. The reason that there are legal connections to PPHN is because PPHN has been associated with taking Paxil® during pregnancy.

Mothers who are advised to continue taking Paxil® throughout their pregnancy only to face the horrors of PPHN are then equally horrified to find that they could have been warned and were not. There is a stunning lack of information available to pregnant women regarding the consequences of Paxil® use – and other antidepressants like it.

And so, in addition to the medical attention paid to PPHN, there is often quite a bit of legal attention as well, as parents work with Paxil® attorneys in California to present their case in the legal community.

Popularity: 42% [?]

Next Page »

About:

  • PPHN, Persistent pulmonary hypertension is when a newborn's arteries to the lungs remain constricted after delivery, often caused by antidepressants and other drugs. PPHN attorneys can help with lawsuits related to PPHN.

Recent Posts:

Categories:

Monthly Archives:

RSS:



Subscribe in NewsGator Online
Subscribe in Bloglines
Add to Attensa

Subscribe:

    Enter your email address:


Disclaimer:

    This Blog/Website deals with issues and news relating to SSRI-antidepressants such as Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa and Lexapro and PPHN (Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn) and the cases that result. It is written and published by non-legal professionals to be informative and educational. It does not provide specific legal advice nor is it intended to create an attorney client relationship. The Blog/Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney.