Health and Medical Information

Archive for July, 2008

Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is a serious condition, and the drugs that are used to treat it (such as Flolan and Tracleer) are effective, but do have some potentially serious side effects and symptoms to watch out for. Some of these side effects may be unpleasant to live with, however leaving Primary Pulmonary Hypertension untreated has much more severe consequences.

Minor Side Effects of Flolan

Minor side effects include the following symptoms. These side effects are fairly common in patients being treated with Flolan (note that some of these symptoms are caused by Flolan being administered intravenously rather than by the drug itself).

Some of these side effects are commonly experienced by individuals who are beginning treatment, and the symptoms may subside as the medication dosage is adjusted to optimal levels. If you experience any of these side effects, see your doctor for advice; especially if they become persistent or particularly irritating or painful.

* Abnormal sensations on the skin (such as a “crawling” feeling) or an altered ability to feel sensations
* Anxiety, agitation, or nervousness
* Pain, swelling or redness at the site of injection
* Back pain
* Stomach pain, stomach upset, or diarrhea
* Headache, dizziness, or nausea
* Pain in the jaw or muscles
* Sweating
* Vomiting

Serious Side Effects of Flolan

The following side effects are considered more serious, these include a possible allergic reaction to the drug as well as side effects caused by the drug itself. If you experience any of these side effects, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately. Do not substitute reading this article for medical advice, and please consult your doctor for a more complete list of side effects.

Symptoms of severe allergic reaction include a rash or hives on the skin, itching of the skin, shortness of breath, a feeling of tightness in the chest, and swelling of the tongue or facial features. Any of these symptoms indicate that a dangerous allergic reaction is occurring, and immediate medical attention should be sought.

Other serious side effects of Flolan include:

* Chest pain
* Irregular or fast heartbeat
* Headache, muscle pain or bone pain
* Swelling in the abdominal area
* Unusual or unexplained bruising, or a tendency to bruise easily
* Bleeding gums or nosebleeds
* A feeling of general weakness

In addition, you should also watch out for any signs of infection at the injection site. These may include symptoms such as pain, swelling, redness or bleeding. Any signs of infection, including sudden fever, should be reported to your doctor as soon as possible.

As you can see, some of these side effects can be considered both minor and serious, depending on the circumstances. For this reason, it is important to seek medical advice whenever any of these symptoms are experienced. Only your doctor will know for sure if these symptoms are a cause for alarm.

Not all of these side effects are serious in themselves (a bleeding nose is not in itself life-threatening) but some of these side effects may indicate that your Flolan treatment dosage needs to be adjusted, or that your body may be responding to your PPH treatment in an unexpected way.

If you have any unexplained symptoms that are not on these lists, consult your doctor as soon as possible. Any unexplained effects should be monitored to make sure they are not serious or life-threatening.

Drug Interactions

Flolan is known to interact with a wide variety of prescription medications as well as some over-the-counter medicines, and the list of such medications is much too long to include here. If you are taking any other medications (including prescription and over-the counter medications and supplements) in addition to Flolan it is vital to make sure your doctor is aware of these.

Even commonly-used medications such as Tylenol and many forms of Aspirin can reduce the effectiveness of Flolan, so it is also important to seek medical advice before taking any other medications while you are using Flolan for PPH treatment.

Nick Johnson is lead counsel with Johnson Law Group. Johnson represents plaintiffs in many states and focuses on injury cases involving Fen-Phen and PPH, Paxil, Mesothelioma and Nursing Home Abuse. Call Nick Johnson at 1-888-311-5522 or visit http://www.jbclawfirm.com