Melissa LaFreniere  |  July 31, 2015

Category: Legal News

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Pradaxa risksPhysicians have issued new warnings about using Pradaxa and other new generation anticoagulants on patients with kidney problems.

According to new guidelines published in the Journal of American Medical Association, medical professionals studying atrial fibrillation management have warned that the new line of blood thinners may be too risky for patients with chronic kidney disease.

Pradaxa, along with Xarelto and Eliquis, were compared to the more traditional anticoagulant Warfarin (Coumadin) when prescribed to patients with kidney complications. Researchers determined that chronic kidney disease patients could use Warfarin with specific guidelines and Pradaxa may be prescribed in smaller doses.

However, experts warn that neither Pradaxa or Xarelto should be prescribed to patients in the final stages of kidney disease.

Pradaxa Internal Bleeding Complications

Pradaxa was the first blood thinner approved since Coumadin, and was released in 2010 as part of a “new generation” of anticoagulants. Marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Pradaxa gained in popularity as a more convenient blood thinner than Warfarin.

Warfarin requires regular blood testing and avoiding certain foods, but with Pradaxa, manufacturers claimed patients would no longer be required to endure testing or have any dietary restrictions. In just a few short years, Pradaxa has been prescribed to more than nine million Americans.

All blood thinners carry some bleeding risks. Coumadin patients can be given a dose of Vitamin K if a bleeding event should occur; however, Pradaxa consumers who experience internal bleeding must go through multiple blood transfusions, as there is no known Pradaxa antidote. The only way to stop Pradaxa bleeding is to get the medication out of the system.

Recent Pradaxa studies suggest that blood thinner manufacturers may have erred by claiming that the new anticoagulants needed no blood monitoring. Experts indicate that regular testing may have helped physicians determine who is at an increased internal bleeding risk.

Pradaxa Bleeding Risk Studies

A Pradaxa bleeding risk study performed by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and George Washington University analyzed more than 46,000 patients taking an anticoagulant.

Patients who were taking a new generation blood thinner such as Pradaxa or Xarelto were compared to consumers taking the traditional Warfarin. Over the course of several months, researchers found that the internal bleeding risks were overall higher with Pradaxa and Xarelto drugs when compared to Warfarin users. 

Researchers determined that the increased Pradaxa bleeding risk outweighed any potential benefits.

Pradaxa Lawsuits

Thousand of Pradaxa consumers have filed lawsuits alleging that they were unaware that should an internal bleeding event occur, there would be no reversal agent to help get it under control. Pradaxa lawsuits claim that Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals intentionally hid the risk of internal bleeding complications from consumers.

Medical experts report Pradaxa has caused more than 500 deaths and more than 1,000 near fatalities due to uncontrollable internal bleeding complications. More than 4,000 Pradaxa lawsuits have been settled so far for a total of $650 million.

Pradaxa’s manufacturer has acknowledged that a Pradaxa bleeding reversal agent is needed and is in the process of getting a Pradaxa antidote approved. 

In general, Pradaxa lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The Pradaxa attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or Pradaxa class action lawsuit is best for you. Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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