Testosterone replacement therapy drugs AndroGel and Testim caused a New York man to suffer strokes, and the drugs’ manufacturers failed to adequately warn about the risk despite knowing it existed, according to a recent testosterone product lawsuit.

Plaintiff Frederick Seeburger filed a testosterone product lawsuit against AndroGel manufacturers AbbVie and Abbott Laboratories and Testim manufacturer Auxilium, acquired by Endo Pharmaceuticals in October.

Seeburger began taking AndroGel at age 41 in 2002 to treat low testosterone, according to the testosterone product lawsuit. In 2009, he switched to Testim, which he took until 2013.

In October 2012 he began experiencing stroke symptoms and went to the emergency room, where doctors diagnosed him having suffered a stroke. Five days later Seeburger began feeling the same symptoms and returned to the emergency room, where it was determined that he suffered a TIA transient ischemic attack, more commonly known as a mini stroke.

Seeburger alleges that his injuries and damages are a direct result of the defendants “wrongful acts, omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations.”

The testosterone lawsuit alleges product liability, negligence, breach of warranty, fraud, misrepresentation and a design defect. The defendants allegedly breached their duty to disclose to doctors and healthcare providers the risk of heart attack, stroke deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and sudden cardiac death.

Had Seeburger’s doctor known of the risk, he’d never have prescribed the drugs, the testosterone lawsuit states. Before beginning testosterone replacement therapy, Seeburger reportedly had no history of thromboembolism or significant cardiovascular problems.

The drugs caused physical and emotional impairment that affected Seeburger’s personal and professional life, significant past and future medical expenses and an increased risk for future health problems and disability, according to the testosterone products lawsuit, which says he has suffered physical pain and mental anguish as a result.

AndroGel received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2001. Testim was approved the following year, and Axiron was approved in 2010. Testosterone replacement therapy products are available in patches applied to the skin or gums, gels, pills and injections. More than 5.3 million prescriptions are written each year for testosterone replacement therapy drugs, known as “Low T” treatments.

The drugs target men as young as their 30s who are purportedly suffering erectile dysfunction, depression, fatigue and diminished sex drive, natural occurrences in males as they age.

In January, the FDA issued a safety announcement that the agency was investigating the increased risk of stroke, heart attack, stroke and death in men who took FDA-approved testosterone products.

The FDA cited two separate studies suggesting an increased risk of cardiovascular events among groups of men prescribed testosterone therapy.

A National Cancer Institute study of 56,000 patients found that men over 65, as well as men younger than 65 with a history of heart disease, had twice as many heart attacks in the three months after beginning testosterone therapy compared to the year before taking the drugs.

There are so many testosterone therapy lawsuits being filed across the country that multidistrict litigation was established in June in the Northern District of Illinois for litigation involving AndroGel, Testim and Axiron.

Cases against other pharmaceutical companies will be handled in the district in which the plaintiff resided at the time of original filing until a later date, when the plaintiffs may challenge the jurisdiction.

Thousands of men who have had heart attacks or other cardiac issues while taking testosterone drugs have retained lawyers and are expected to file testosterone product lawsuits.