Pradaxa Bleeding Side Effects Outweigh its Benefits, According to New Blood Thinner Study

New York, New York (PRWEB) October 06, 2012

A new study is adding to concern that Pradaxa side effects may be putting patients at risk for serious, uncontrollable and life-threatening bleeding, Bernstein Liebhard LLP reports. The study, which appears in the journal, Archives of Internal Medicine, found that the rate of serious Pradaxa side effects negates any benefits the drugs may offer to patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS).*

This study only reinforces that Pradaxa side effects are extremely serious, especially given the fact that there is no readily available antidote for severe Pradaxa bleeding, says Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a national law firm representing clients who have been injured by dangerous drugs and defective medical devices. The Firm is currently offering free and confidential lawsuit evaluations to individuals who suffered serious Pradaxa side effects.

The Archives of Internal Medicine study looked at data on 30,000 ACS patients, half of whom were treated with Pradaxa or another class of new blood thinners called xa inhibitors, while the other half were given placebos. According to the study, taking Pradaxa or one of the new blood thinners increased the likelihood of a serious bleeding event by 3-fold. However, only modest reductions of stent thrombosis or further heart problems were noted. There was no significant improvement in patient survival among those receiving drug therapy.

Pradaxa Bleeding Lawsuits Pradaxa was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2010 to reduce the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation patients. The drug was supposed to be an improvement over warfarin, which has been on the market for decades. While both Pradaxa and warfarin can cause serious internal bleeding, warfarin hemorrhaging can be stopped via the administration of vitamin k. However, there is no readily available antidote for Pradaxa bleeding. While dialysis can be used to remove Pradaxa from the blood stream, a study published in May in the journal, Neurology, found this treatment is risky and may not be administered quickly enough to stop Pradaxa bleeding. **

In December 2011, the FDA issued a Drug Safety Communication stating it was reviewing reports of serious Pradaxa bleeding events. As of December 31, 2011, the FDA has received more than 500 reports of deaths in the U.S. linked to Pradaxa.***

Federally-filed Pradaxa bleeding lawsuits are currently consolidated in a multidistrict litigation in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois. Among other things, Pradaxa lawsuits allege that Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the drugs manufacturer, did not adequately warn prescribing physicians of the risks associated with Pradaxa (In Re: Pradaxa (Dabigatran Etexilate) Products Liability Litigation MDL No. 2385). ****

Victims of serious Pradaxa side effects may be eligible to collect compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and more. To learn more about filing a Pradaxa lawsuit, please visit our website http://www.consumerinjurylawyers.com/pradaxa-lawsuits, or call 1-877-779-1414 to speak with one of our Pradaxa lawyers today.

*archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1362940 **thejns.org/doi/full/10.3171/2012.2.JNS112132 ***fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/ucm282724.htm ****jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/MDL-2385-Initial_Transfer-07-12.pdf

About Bernstein Liebhard LLP Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993, including those who have been harmed by dangerous drugs, defective medical devices and consumer products. The firm has been named by The National Law Journal to the Plaintiffs Hot List, recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country, for the past 10 consecutive years.

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Pradaxa Bleeding Side Effects Outweigh its Benefits, According to New Blood Thinner Study