In what appears to be a rush by the pharmaceutical companies to push new medications to market, problems with many of those medications are becoming more common.
The heavily advertised Pradaxa drug, also known as Dabigatran, is one of those drugs. In many of the recent cases involving death or injury, Pradaxa bleeding has been the most common problem.
About Pradaxa
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, the company that manufactures Pradaxa, has now issued a recommendation that states that heart patients with mechanical heart valves are not appropriate candidates for the medication.
Pradaxa was approved in 2010. [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]By the end of 2012, there had been more than 500 deaths associated with the use of Pradaxa.[/inlinetweet] This issue has resulted in a litany of legal actions against the company, with most of the problems being caused by Pradaxa bleeding.
The drug is a blood thinner that has been advertised as a replacement therapy for heart patients who were previously taking warfarin for atrial fibrillation. Pradaxa was touted as eliminating the need for regular blood thickness testing as with warfarin, but now it appears that this is a false claim.
Warfarin, also known as Coumadin, requires each patient to have at least a monthly evaluation for blood consistency, known as a pro time test. The test reveals a therapeutic range for safe drug administration amounts. Many warfarin patients have their dosage changed regularly because foods also can create thickness or thinness in the blood, especially foods that are rich in vitamin K. Vitamin K is found in most green vegetables and thickens the blood. Natural blood thinners, such as onions and alcohol, are also food sources. Another problem with warfarin is that it is a highly toxic medication, as it also is the primary active ingredient in rodent poisons.
Pradaxa bleeding has been occurring in patients with overly-thinned blood thickness of less than a 2.0 reading. Doctors want a blood test result between 2 and 3 for a therapeutic range. The alleged limited testing and quick FDA approval in 2010 could be sufficient documentation for proving negligence in a civil case, depending on other material case facts.
Has Pradaxa Bleeding Caused Your Loved One’s Death?
If your loved one died as a result of Pradaxa bleeding, you might be entitled to a monetary compensation for your loss. The Attorney Group understands wrongful claims and can analyze your case. Call Attorney Group to find out how one of their affiliated attorneys can help you.
