PPA Stroke
The FDA announced November 6, 2000, after the New England
Journal of Medicine released the 5-year study linking PPA to hemorrhagic
stroke that the PPA recall would
soon follow. This decision was decided following the previous
month's advisory committee finding the study showed enough evidence
that PPA is unsafe. The PPA study found women ages 18-49 who took
appetite suppressants containing PPA were 16 times more likely to
have a hemorrhagic stroke than other women. Women who used cold
or cough remedies containing PPA for the first time had a threefold
increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
A hemorrhagic stroke is still often deadly and can leave survivors
disabled. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when an artery in the brain
leaks or ruptures. During a hemorrhagic stroke, the blood puts pressure
on the surrounding brain tissue and causes damage. The brain cells
that are beyond the rupture are also deprived of blood and are damaged.
PPA Recall
The FDA health warning to consumers in November 2000 regarding
PPA said: "We suggest you stop taking the drug immediately
and use an alternative." |
Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) is a chemical found in many over-the-counter
(OTC) and prescription cold and cough medications, nasal decongestants
and OTC appetite suppressant and weight loss products. The recent
FDA recall stems from concerns that PPA increases the risk
of hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding into the brain or into tissue
surrounding the brain), especially in young women. However,
because the FDA does not control OTC drugs, PPA is still available
over the counter and continues to pose risks of hemorrhagic
stroke to women and men who use those products that contain
PPA. |
» PPA Recall
PPA
has been linked to a heightened risk of hemorrhagic stroke, a serious
health condition marked by bleeding into the brain or into the tissue
surrounding the brain. click
here to read more on PPA strokes. . .
PPA Stroke Warning Signs Ignored?
PPA first showed warning signs of the dangerous effects the ingredient
could have in the 80's. Doctors had first come across these PPA
warnings when medical journals cited several dozen cases of hemorrhagic
strokes in young women within days of taking appetite suppressants
that were puzzling. The
FDA contains records showing there were 44 cases of hemorrhagic
stroke among PPA users in the past 30 years with most of them
being young women with a median age of 35.
The response from the drug industry was that more research was
needed to attribute the hemorrhagic strokes were the direct result
of the products containing PPA. The 5- year Yale University PPA
study resulted because the drug industry was able to prolong any
immediate action banning the sale of PPA using the argument of needing
more research. Before the FDA's public warning was issued in November
2000, 6 billion doses of PPA had been sold in the U.S. every year.
Please contact
us to receive more PPA stroke information from a PPA lawyer.
» PPA Stroke Risks
Referred to in the medical world as a cerebrovascular accident,
a stroke is a lack of blood flow to the brain that causes damage
to brain tissue.
click here to read more PPA stroke risks.
. .
» PPA Lawsuit News
April 15, 2003 : Companies may have known about PPA stroke
link
Internal memos show that two large drug makers knew about the link
between PPA and strokes. In 2000, PPA was taken off the market because
of the serious and concerning PPA side effects linked to the popular
ingredient. Used in many cold remedies and diet pills, PPA was linked
to hemorrhagic strokes that affected mainly young women, causing
a high number of PPA lawsuits.
click here for full article...
PPA Hemorrhagic Stroke and PPA Recall Information
top
|