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What types
of medical tests determine if I have damaged my heart by using
Fen-Phen?
Heart valve damage can be detected by a Doppler "echocardiogram"
(also known as an "echo"). An echo is an ultrasound of the heart, a
non-invasive and painless procedure. Your primary care physician can
refer you to a cardiologist who will schedule the test. Please note,
an EKG is not adequate to determine valve damage.
PPH is diagnosed through a series of
tests. First, a pulmonary function test is used to establish that
there is hypertension. Then, a series of tests are given to rule out
other potential causes for the hypertension. If no cause for the
hypertension is found, the hypertension will be classified as
"primary"- hence "primary pulmonary hypertension". PPH is a very
serious condition.
Neuropsychological damage is
difficult to determine because of the inability to sample and
analyze human brain cells. If there is serious concern over
neuropsychological damage, a specialist in this area should be
consulted.
These tests
sound complicated and costly. Are they covered by insurance?
The heart valve and PPH tests can be expensive, but they are usually
covered by insurance. A neuropsychological exam, unfortunately, may
not be covered. Be sure to go through the proper referral process
with your primary care physician and tell your doctor you are
concerned about fen-phen usage. If you do not have insurance, you
may want to seek out federal, town, or hospital based assistance.
If I do have damage to my heart, is it
treatable?
Valve injuries are treatable through a range of methods depending on
the severity of injury. For a slight valve impairment, your doctor
may advise you to get yearly echocardiograms. As a preventative
measure, your doctor may also advise you to take prophylactic
antibiotics before any invasive medical procedures, including dental
examinations. For more severe cases, valve repair or valve
replacement surgery may be necessary.
PPH may be treated with oxygen
supply, heart-lung transplantation, or drugs specially developed for
PPH. The drug therapies are relatively new, and not all individuals
are able to tolerate them.
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Offices of Nadrich & Cohen is a fifteen person law firm which
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We work on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee means we only
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e-mail and
form
submissions will be responded to by a qualified member of our
firm within 24 hours. |
