If you are unable to work because of Pulmonary Hypertension you may be able to make a TPD claim for a lump sum from the Total & Permanent Disablement insurance contained within your superannuation fund. There is no necessity for you to have been involved in an accident or to have suffered a work related injury to make a TPD claim. If you suffer from total and permanent disability, you may be able to make a TPD claim in addition to receiving your super early as a result of your condition. Our TPD claim solicitors can advise you in detail as to the requirements of a successful submission, they will prepare all relevant paperwork and will obtain full supporting documentation. Our TPD lawyers will give you advice on the likely success of your claim to a super fund, without further obligation. It costs nothing to use our advice service.

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Pulmonary Hypertention - TPD

Primary pulmonary hypertension is an unexplained hypertension of the pulmonary arteries. The blood pressure of the pulmonary arteries rises just like peripheral arteries and involves blood pressures above the mean blood pressure of 14 mm Hg. In those with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), the blood pressure exceeds 25 mm Hg on average. The pulmonary artery takes oxygen-poor blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs where it is then oxygenated. The high blood pressure in PPH damages the capillaries and it puts a strain on the right side of the heart, which has to beat harder and stronger in order to get blood through the capillaries.

About 50 to 100 new cases of PPH occur in Australia each year. Most cases involve women between the ages of 20 to 40 years; however, men and women of all ages can get the disease at any time in their lifetime. Even young children can get primary pulmonary hypertension.

The cause of primary pulmonary hypertension is not completely known and doctors feel that there may be more than one cause. It is difficult to research because it is a relatively uncommon disease and there are no animal models for the disease. It is believed that most people with PPH have a sensitivity in their blood vessels that make them clamp down. What’s known is that people with Raynaud’s disease, which is a vascular disease of the extremities, have an increased risk of PPH. Things like cocaine, HIV and appetite suppressants can contribute to the constriction of the pulmonary artery and resultant PPH.

The main symptoms of primary pulmonary hypertension include fatigue, shortness of breath and tiredness. People feel out of shape and lazy. The shortness of breath worsens and you feel dizzy or even have fainting spells. The ankles and legs swell and there is cyanosis of the lips and skin so the skin appears to have a bluish coloration. Chest pain happens in the latter part of the disease. The disease is very slowly progressive so that it is often not diagnosed until it reaches the later stages of the disease.

The evaluation of primary pulmonary hypertension is done through catheterization of the right heart, including the right ventricle, right atrium and pulmonary artery. The pressure inside the arteries and ventricles are measured against normal levels. A catheter is placed up into an artery or vein in the groin or leg and measurements are taken through the catheter.

There are many good therapies for primary pulmonary hypertension of late. There are many drugs that help lower the blood pressure in the pulmonary veins. Medications can dilate or relax the affected vessels and no single drug works on everyone. Often doctors have to try several different drugs to get the effect they are looking for. Doctors do cardiac catheterization in order to see which drugs are working the best to treat the PPH the patient has.

Calcium channel blockers have a great deal of benefit for a fourth of all patients with PPH. IV prostacyclin works in other patients. It is given by means of a portable pump attached to the patient. It tends to work in those patients who do not respond to calcium channel blockers. Other drugs include diuretic medications and anticoagulant medication to decrease the chances of clots occurring in the ventricles or pulmonary artery. The definitive treatment for PPH is a heart-lung transplant or a lung transplant that can get rid of the damaged tissue and restore the pulmonary artery to its normal blood pressure. The heart is transplanted if it has been damaged from the hypertension.

The prognosis of PPH patients is fairly good if early treatment is instituted and if a transplant is given. The patient will always need to be on medication but will be able to function normally in most situations. It is important to be as informed as possible on the disease of PPH if you have it so you can be aware of any changes that might occur as the disease progresses.

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