Tetralogy of Fallot Definition – Paxil Warning
Tetralogy of Fallot Definition and Paxil WarningThe Tetralogy of Fallot Definition refers to a birth defect of the heart that is actually a combination of four different congenital heart defects: a right ventricle with a thickened muscular wall, a shifted “overriding” aorta that pulls blood out of the left and right ventricle, narrow pulmonary outflow tract, and ventricular septal defect. The sum of these four malformations embodies the Tetralogy of Fallot Definition. There are several symptoms under the Tetralogy of Fallot Definition that present when a child is born with a Tetralogy of Fallot, including cyanosis (blueish skin), clubbed fingers or toes, and failure to thrive. The possible causes included in the Tetralogy of Fallot Definition are fetal exposure to alcohol, poor nutrition, various viral illnesses, and even fetal exposure to prescription drugs like Paxil.
Paxil Warning
The Food and Drug Administration recently linked the GlaxoSmithKline antidepressant Paxil to the Tetralogy of Fallot Definition, giving the drug a “Class D” warning that it adversely affects fetal development during the first trimester. Mothers who took Paxil during pregnancy and who also gave birth to children with symptoms of Tetralogy of Fallot should research the Tetralogy of Fallot Definition to consider a possible lawsuit against the manufacturer of Paxil.
Transposition of the Great Arteries
Transposition of the great arteries is a heart defect that results in cyanosis, the decreasing of oxygen available to the body through the blood that causes skin to appear blue and purple. While a healthy heart circulates blood through the body and back into the lungs to be oxygenated, transposition of the great arteries or vessels, the blood travelling through the body contains little or no oxygen because the pathways that normally push blood from the body and into the lungs are switched (transposed). Symptoms that present as a result of transposition of the great arteries include blue skin color (cyanosis), loss or shortness of breath, clubbed fingers and/or toes, and poor nursing/feeding ability in infants.
Transposition of the great arteries can sometimes be detected through fetal ultrasound or by a pulse oximeter following birth. Treatment for an infant begins with administration of intravenous prostaglandin, a medication that encourages blood to flow through the body and lungs – this must happen almost immediately after birth. Other more invasive procedures are required after that, including a procedure to insert a balloon-like catheter into the baby’s heart and a surgery switching the great arteries to the correct position.
If a transposition of the great arteries is detected prior to birth or immediately following birth, the infant may recover with multiple surgeries. However, other complications such as heart valve and arrhythmia problems can manifest, as well as coronary artery disease. The prescription drug Paxil was recently linked to transposition of the great arteries in babies of mothers who used the drug during pregnancy. Contact an attorney if your child suffered from transposition of the great arteries or other heart defects as a result of Paxil use during gestation.
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn PPHN
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn/PPHN is a birth defect which affects the child’s circulatory system upon exiting the womb. In utero, the fetus receives oxygen from the placenta, not the lungs. As a normal baby is born and attempts to take its first breath, the blood pressure in the lungs drops and the ductus arteriosus (the fetal blood vessel) closes. However, a child with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn/PPHN fails to make this transition because the ductus arteriosus does not close and the blood pressure in the lungs remains high.
This birth defect sends blood away from the lungs, which means the blood that circulates through the body does not get freshly-oxygenated properly. Treatment for Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn/PPHN involves providing the newborn with supplemental oxygen through a mask or hood and, in most cases, “Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation” by an ECMO machine are required. This machine serves as an external heart and lung bypass, receiving blood from the body, oxygenating it in an artificial lung,, and returning it to the body.
Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn/PPHN is a serious and life-threatening birth defect that must be treated immediately. The short term risks are shock, brain hemorrhage, seizures, organ damage and kidney failure, shock, and possible death. These immediate risks during the first stages of development can have negative developmental effects, including hearing problems, physical and emotional deficits, and poor oxygenation. However, with the proper treatment, only about 20% of infants who survive PPHN experience long term damage.
This defect has been linked to the mother’s use of several substances during pregnancy and before, such as cocaine, alcohol, and tobacco. Additionally, mothers who used the antidepressant drug Paxil at any point during pregnancy – most commonly around the 20th week of gestation – give birth to babies with Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn/PPHN. Mothers of children with Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn/PPHN who took the drug Paxil should contact an attorney regarding a Paxil lawsuit.
Paxil Settlements
The Stenger Law Firm, LLC is currently securing Paxil Settlements for families of children injured or killed by Paxil side effects. We will provide a free case evaluation to determine if you are eligible to file a claim against the manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline. Call The Stenger Law Firm, LLC today. Our toll free number is (888) 665-0077. *
*Please provide as much information as possible about your case. If you do not provide adequate case information, including injuries or damages sustained it may take us longer to process your inquiry.
There is no charge for this Paxil evaluation.
