The potential for Boehringer Ingelheim’s Pradaxa to cause serious bleeding events in patients has been a serious cause for concern in patients taking the blood thinner. Pradaxa (dabigatran) was designed to reduce the risk of blood clots and stroke in patients with a medical condition called atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm abnormality in which a part of the heart doesn’t beat properly. When the relatively new blood thinner was first introduced, it was celebrated as the first drug of its kind to rival warfarin, a popular anticoagulant that can been on the market for nearly 60 years. Pradaxa has only been available in the United States since October 2010, but the anticoagulant has already sparked a heated debate regarding the safety of the prescription medication, in light of recent severe bleeding events and deaths associated with the drug. If you have been adversely affected by the blood thinner Pradaxa, contact a Pradaxa attorney for legal help.
PRADAXA AND INTERNAL BLEEDING SIDE EFFECTS
Patients with atrial fibrillation take Pradaxa to reduce their risk of blood clots and stroke. Unfortunately, these patients may actually be putting themselves at risk of suffering from severe internal bleeding side effects, which may even lead to death in some cases. Awareness about the dangers of Pradaxa was raised in September 2011 when New Zealand drug regulators launched an investigation into the side effects of Pradaxa, spurred by reports that five elderly patients taking Pradaxa died because of internal bleeding side effects. Authorities in Japan also took action in light of Pradaxa side effects, sending a letter to Boehringer Ingelheim addressing the 81 elderly patients who suffered from Pradaxa-related hemorrhaging or internal bleeding between March 14, 2011 and August 11, 2011. In addition, a report issued by the Institute of Safe Medicine Practices earlier this year indicated that the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System received more reports of internal bleeding side effects associated with Pradaxa (505 cases) during the first quarter of 2011 than with any other medication, including warfarin (176 cases).
CONTACT A PRADAXA ATTORNEY FOR LEGAL HELP
Consumers rely on their prescription medications to effectively treat their medical condition without causing them any undue harm. Unfortunately, some drug companies intentionally conceal the more serious side effects of their medications in an attempt to avoid negative consequences. This puts consumers at risk of serious, and possibly even fatal, side effects without their knowledge. If you or a loved one has suffered from an internal bleeding side effect associated with the blood thinner Pradaxa, contact a Pradaxa attorney to discuss your legal options. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries and medical bills, which you can collect by filing a Pradaxa lawsuit against the drug manufacturing company. No pharmaceutical drug should protect a consumer from one adverse event only to put them at risk of another. With the help of a qualified Pradaxa lawyer, victims of potential Pradaxa internal bleeding side effects can protect themselves from further harm and pursue the compensation they deserve.