Increasing Number of Reports of Side Effects with Blood Thinner Xarelto

The safety of some of the newer blood thinners remains a real concern with too many patients experiencing serious side effects.

In 2011, federal regulators approved the drug Xarelto to treat conditions such as blood clots, deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms. At the time, the drug was considered a promising improvement over warfarin, the popular blood thinner that has been used by physicians for more than 50 years. Just three years after its approval, the makers of Xarelto are facing legal action over allegations that they negligently placed a drug on the market that had the potential to kill patients by causing uncontrollable and irreversible bleeding.

Blood thinners have an inherent risk of causing unwanted bleeding. But there is a key difference between warfarin and Xarelto. If a patient suffers internal bleeding while taking warfarin, doctors are able to administer an antidote of Vitamin K to stop it. Xarelto has no such antidote, which increases the risk of serious injury and death.

The first lawsuits are currently being filed against Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, alleging that the companies withheld important safety information and did not test Xarelto enough before putting it on the market. In July, the Institute of Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) reported that the number of adverse event reports for Xarelto has been increasing and now surpasses similar complaints about Pradaxa, another blood thinner that is the subject of multidistrict litigation in federal court. There are now 1 million prescriptions written for Xarelto per quarter, while Pradaxa’s prescriptions are declining, according to the ISMP.

In February, a Kentucky woman filed a lawsuit in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas claiming that she had severe gastrointestinal bleeding after she was prescribed Xarelto to treat her atrial fibrillation. Drug manufacturers and marketers have a duty to place medications on the market only after rigorous testing rules out life-threatening complications such as uncontrolled bleeding. When they don’t do that, they are selling dangerous drugs and should be held accountable when their drugs cause harm.

Side effects associated with Xarelto include:

• Hemorrhaging
• Blood clots
• Hematoma
• Edema (swelling)
• Dizziness
• Irregular heartbeat
• Cerebrovascular problems that can lead to stroke
• Respiratory difficulties
• Bloody urine or stool
• Severe nosebleeds
• Coughing or vomiting blood

What to Do If You Suffered an Adverse Event on Xarelto

If you or a loved one suffered from severe bleeding or other injuries while taking Xarelto, you’re not alone. The ISMP found that the FDA received 680 reports of adverse events after patients took Xarelto in 2013. The manufacturers responsible for such negligence should be held accountable  – and the families who suffered may be entitled to receive compensation by the courts.

Speaking with an experienced dangerous drug attorney at the Frank Jenkins Law Office about the status of Xarelto lawsuits and your own circumstances can help guide you in deciding whether legal action is warranted.