Texas Tricuspid Valve Stenosis Lawsuit

Tricuspid Valve Stenosis (closely related to Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation) is as congenital heart defect where the valve between the upper and lower chambers on the right side of the heart is too narrow, thus inhibiting blood flow through the heart. If untreated, it can lead to heart failure and death. Recently, several studies have linked prescription medications (SSRIs, antidepressants, pain medications, and others) taken by pregnant mothers to an increased risk of severe, life-threatening heart defects, including Tricuspid Valve Stenosis.

Do I Have a Tricuspid Valve Stenosis Lawsuit? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one has given birth to a child with a birth defect after taking an SSRI, antidepressant, pain medication, or other medication during pregnancy, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a Tricuspid Valve Stenosis lawsuit.

What drugs have been linked to Tricuspid Valve Stenosis?

Are you pregnant? Are you thinking about becoming pregnant? If you are taking a medication, you should tell your doctor. Some medications can cause serious, life-threatening birth defects if taken during pregnancy. These include: prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, herbal supplements, dietary supplements, and others. Talk to your doctor before you start or stop taking any of these medications.

SSRIs and Antidepressants: Experts have found that Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (known as “SSRIs”) and antidepressant medications are linked to a higher incidence of birth defects when mothers take these drugs during pregnancy (especially Wellbutrin / bupropion). Findings from these studies prompted the FDA to issue new safety warnings. Women who had babies with heart defects are getting legal help, and you can too.

SSRIs/antidepressants include:

Pain Medication / Cough Medicine: A publication in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that pregnant women who use some types of pain medication (or cough medicine) are more likely to have babies with cardiovascular birth defects.

These medications include:

Oxycontin
Oxycodone
Codeine
Some Cough Medication

Tricuspid Valve Stenosis Overview

What is Tricuspid Valve Stenosis (TVS)? It is a congenital birth defect affecting the heart, specifically the tricuspid valve. The tricuspid valve is the valve between the two chambers on the right side of the heart (lower right chamber is known as the “right ventricle” and the upper right chamber is known as the “right atrium”).

In a healthy, normal heart, oxygen-poor blood flows through the heart in only one direction. It comes from the body, enters the right atrium, and is pumped through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle, where it is pumped into the lungs to become re-oxygenated.

In a person with Tricuspid Valve Stenosis, the valve is stiffened or narrowed, limiting the amount of blood that can flow through the heart. This raises the blood pressure in the right atrium, causing the heart muscle to work harder to pump blood. The muscular wall may thicken, enlarge, and over time, it may stiffen so much that it is unable to pump blood, causing heart failure. Furthermore, because blood pressure in the lower heart chamber is significantly less than it should be, this chamber becomes weaker. Low cardiac output causes many symptoms of TVS, including fatigue and shortness of breath.

Signs & Symptoms of Tricuspid Valve Stenosis

A physician will usually notice the first sign of Tricuspid Valve Stenosis when he/she listens to the baby’s heart. A “murmur” will be heard, which is any abnormal sound that indicates that blood is not flowing through the heart properly.

After the baby is born, symptoms of TVS may include:

Fatigue, due to limited cardiac output
Cardiac arrhythmias (the heart beats too fast or too slow)
Shortness of breath
Swelling in the legs and abdomen
Cold skin
Right abdominal pain

These symptoms are not usually life threatening. However, over time, if TVS is left untreated, it can lead to heart failure.

Tricuspid valve regurgitation may also occur in a patient with TVS. In this condition, the tricuspid valve is so stiff that it is unable to close completely. This causes a “leaky valve” and blood leaks backward through the heart, into the right atrium. By itself, regurgitation is not life-threatening, though the patient may notice a “flutter.” If you are feeling any irregular heart symptoms, contact a emergency doctor immediately.

Treatment & Prognosis

Serious cases of Tricuspid Stenosis require surgical repair. This may involve a commissurotomy (or “valvolotomy”) in which a cardiac surgeon makes one or more incisions in the valve to widen it. In cases where the malformed valve has caused low cardiac output, or the patient is at risk of heart failure, a surgeon might recommend valve replacement. Replacement valves come in two forms: synthetic, and transplant. Though synthetic valves typically last longer than transplanted valves, the person will be at risk of developing blood clots around the valve that can cause a stroke. As a result, they will need to take blood-thinning medication for the rest of their life. The benefit of using a transplanted valve is that the patient does not need to take medication, but the patient may need additional surgeries later in life when the valve wears out.

Do I Have a Tricuspid Valve Stenosis Lawsuit?

For a free consultation, please contact Collen A. Clark at The Clark Firm, LLP immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a Tricuspid Valve Stenosis lawsuit.

Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more that 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $60 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact us for a free Tricuspid Valve Stenosis lawsuit review.