Permax Linked to Heart PROBLEMS

March 29, 2007: The FDA pulled Permax (pergolide) from the U.S. market due to the risk of heart damage. Marketer Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, has voluntarily stopped sales after news reports that Permax can damage heart valves and cause them to leak. Click here to learn more.

Severe heart valve damage in three patients may have been caused by the Parkinson’s Disease drug Permax (pergolide), Mayo Clinic researchers reported in the December, 2002 issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. All three patients had taken the Parkinson’s drug Permax (pergolide). The valvular heart disease found in these patients was similar to the damage found in patients who took the diet drugs Redux and Pondimin (fen-phen). Redux and Pondimin were withdrawn from the market following reports of serious valvular heart damage.

Valvular heart disease is a condition which impairs heart function. The heart functions as a one-way pump to move blood through the lungs and the body. Within the heart, one-way valves work to prevent the backward flow of blood in the heart. In patients with valvular heart disease, one or more of these valves fails to seal properly and allows significant amounts of blood to flow backwards, or regurgitate. Valvular regurgitation increases the workload on the heart and, in sufficiently severe cases, can require heart valve replacement surgery.

Left unchecked and untreated, some types of valvular heart disease can progress to the point where the patient is at risk of death from heart failure.

The Mayo article reported that other causes of the valvular heart disease found in the three Permax patients were considered and eliminated. Permax is similar to a number of other drugs which have been reported to cause valvular heart disease. The Mayo article notes that it is premature to claim that the drug Permax did cause the injuries suffered by the three patients described in the article. The article and an accompanying editorial are intended to draw attention to the question, so doctors can submit their findings and thoughts. This is science at work, and the ultimate answers will not come quickly enough for Permax patients or their families.

These new findings raise serious medical concerns for patients who have taken or are taking this drug. Individual with health concerns who have taken this drug should discuss this study and their questions with their doctors. Valvular regurgitation may have no apparent symptoms to the patient. Some patients with more serious regurgitation may have some symptoms, which may include swelling of the feet and ankles, chest pain, and marked shortness of breath. A physician may wish to do an examination and listen to heart sounds, as valvular regurgitation frequently is associated with heart sounds (murmurs) audible through a stethoscope.

These findings also raise legal concerns. Patients who have taken Permax (pergolide) or the families of former Permax patients who died from heart failure or heart-related conditions during or after use of the drug may have legal claims against the manufacturer of the drug. Zimmerman Reed devotes a significant portion of the practice to pharmaceutical product claims such as this. We have successfully represented many individuals who have suffered injury after ingesting similar drugs, including the diet drugs Redux and Pondimin (fen-phen). If you or a loved one has suffered a serious health consequence after using Permax (pergolide), and would like to speak with one of our lawyers, please call attorney Ronald Goldser at 1.800.755.0098 for a free consultation or click here to send an e-mail.