Zoloft Lawsuit Claim Center
Most Zoloft birth defects involving heart defects are relatively easy to pinpoint. If your child develop a birth defect caused by taking this medication during pregnancy, please contact our Zoloft lawsuit claim center for more information and a free consultation. For example, an atrial septal defect – a hole in the wall of tissue that separates the atria – can be detected with a chest x-ray or MRI. So too can hypoplastic left heart syndrome, transposition of the great arteries, and truncus arteriosus. Cardiomyopathy is different. It is a diseased state of the heart that impairs its function, but is rarely accompanied by noticeable cardiac deformities. Left untreated, however, it can pose life-threatening circumstances.
The risk of cardiac defects in babies whose mothers use SSRI drugs while pregnant prompted the FDA to announce a public health advisory in 2005. Since then, a growing number of cases have been reported in which infants, exposed to Zoloft, have been born with numerous birth defects. If your baby displays signs of cardiomyopathy or other cardiac malformations, you may be able to file a Zoloft lawsuit birth defects claim.
How Cardiomyopathy Affects The Heart’s Function
This disorder refers to a disease of the heart muscle that may affect one or more chambers. In some cases, the atria and ventricles grow in size. Other times, the tissue surrounding the chambers becomes thick and rigid. When the disease is allowed to continue without treatment, the tissue often becomes covered with scarring. These circumstances prevent the affected atria and ventricles from contracting properly.
When the heart’s contractions are weak, it becomes unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. This causes a number of symptoms. A common form of the disease called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) causes the chambers to stretch. The baby may begin to breathe rapidly, sweat, and display breathing problems. These are signs of heart failure.
Another form is called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The wall of the left ventricle – the chamber responsible for pumping blood into the aorta – becomes thicker. The ventricle remains the same size, which means less blood is allowed to flow through it. In many cases, this disrupts the heart’s electrical system, triggering an arrhythmia. Infants with HCM often show signs of labored breathing and dizziness.
A third type of the disease is known as restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM). It is rare among babies and children, and mostly affects adults. The walls of the left and right ventricles become rigid, and thus unable to contract properly. As a result, the chambers are prevented from filling with a normal volume of blood, reducing the amount pumped to the lungs and the rest of the body.
As with other forms of the disease, symptoms of restrictive cardiomyopathy include shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In addition, many infants experience repeated lung infections and fluid buildup. Some develop edema, causing swelling in the extremities (e.g. feet, ankles, etc.) as well as abdominal bloating.
Complications Stemming From A Diseased Heart
A number of serious complications can occur as a result of the diseased heart’s inability to pump blood effectively. For example, babies may develop blood clots in the heart since blood flows more slowly through the organ, and is allowed to accumulate in the chambers. If clots form in the left atrium or ventricle, they can leave the heart, and travel to the brain. There is an especially high risk of clotting with RCM.
If the heart muscle continues to weaken, and its ability to pump blood to the rest of the body worsens, an infant or child can potentially suffer heart failure. The organ will continue to work, but the body will be unable to receive sufficient blood.
As noted earlier, this condition sometimes causes a disruption in the heart’s normal rhythm (i.e. an arrhythmia). If it is severe, the child may suffer cardiac arrest.
Zoloft Lawsuit Claim Center
There are several Zoloft birth defects that can present in newborns. Some pose side effects and complications that are more serious than those stemming from cardiomyopathy. If your child is suffering from problems that resulted from Zoloft and heart birth defects, you may have the right to file a claim against the drug’s manufacturer. Contact an experienced Zoloft birth defects lawsuit lawyer to discuss your case.