Xarelto Lawsuit: Reports of Bleeding and Death
The U. S. Food and Drug Administration is looking into reports that the prescription anticoagulant, Xarelto, has been linked to severe internal bleeding. Some reports of the adverse effect of Xarelto also include brain hemorrhaging, kidney bleeding and sometimes death.
How is Xarelto used?
Approved in 2011, Xarelto is manufactured by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, and is co-marketed with Bayer Healthcare AG. Patients who suffer from atrial fibrillation are prescribed Xarelto as an anticoagulant (blood thinner) to help prevent stroke and blood clots.
Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition characterized by an irregular heartbeat not caused by heart valve problems. Patients who suffer with deep vein thrombosis (deep tissue blood clots), pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lung), and post knee and hip replacement surgery have also received Xarelto as a treatment for blood clot prevention.
Xarelto Lawsuit: Severe internal bleeding
Over 2,000 cases of adverse side effects have been reported from patients who have used Xarelto. On February 18, 2014, a Xarelto lawsuit was filed in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia against Johnson & Johnson and Bayer Healthcare AG. The complaint claims that physicians and consumers were not given sufficient warning of the increased risks of bleeding and potential death associated with taking Xarelto.
Some of these side effects include:
- Internal bleeding
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Pulmonary embolism
- Brain hemorrhaging
- Severe and frequent nose bleeding
- Stoke
- Peripheral edema
The benefit that makers of Xarelto have marketed is the claim that blood tests are not necessary when taking the blood thinner. Bleeding resulting from Xarelto use has a higher risk of being irreversible because there is no approved antidote to stop it. Warfarin or Coumadin has been the standard prescription for atrial fibrillation known for 50 years. While warfarin can cause bleeding, patients using warfarin or Coumadin receive scheduled, monthly blood tests to monitor the drug’s dosage and the side effects.
Call our Xarelto Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured or has died as a result of taking Xarelto, call The Cochran Firm at 800-The Firm. Our Xarelto injury lawyers can review your case for free. Call now for a free consultation and case review!