Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) is a drug formerly used and prescribed in the United States as a stimulant, decongestant, and anorectic. It was found primarily in over-the-counter cold medicines and appetite suppressants.
However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised companies to discontinue use of this ingredient in products due to serious health concerns. It has now been deemed not generally safe and effective. Before these changes occurred, PPA was an ingredient in dozens of over-the counter cough and cold remedies, and well as the key ingredient in all major appetite suppressants on the market at that time.
Studies showed that PPA could be directly linked to 200 to 500 hemorrhagic strokes a year, especially in young women. Hemmorhagic strokes are life-threatening events caused by bleeding in the brain. Reports linked use of PPA products to stroke, often after just the first use of the medication. In fact, results suggested that a woman who uses PPA in an appetite suppressant is 16 times more likely to suffer a hemorrhagic stroke than a woman who does not use PPA.
If you or a loved one used a product containing PPA and experienced serious side effects, contact us today to determine if you may have a personal injury claim.