Xarelto Blood Thinner May Increase Internal Bleeding Risk

Xarelto Blood Thinner May Increase Internal Bleeding Risk

By Amanda Antell

Officially approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011, Xarelto (Rivaroxaban) is the third blood thinner medication to be released in the U.S. market. Following its predecessors, Warfarin and Pradaxa, Xarelto works as a blood thinner and is used to prevent heart attack and stroke in high-risk patients. Unfortunately, it has been found that Xarelto may share a fatal flaw with its fellow anticoagulants — uncontrollable internal bleeding.

Xarelto has caused some of the country’s finest cardiac specialists to be concerned about the drug’s safety. With a growing number of lawsuits being filed over fatal Pradaxa internal bleeding events, medical experts are concerned that Xarelto may already be following a similar path. Like Pradaxa, Xarelto has no known internal bleeding reversal method, and has already been associated with numerous internal bleeding injuries. Additionally, the FDA has reportedly received numerous reports that Xarelto patients have been developing blood clots despite following prescription medication.    

While some medical experts argue that it is the drug’s design flaw that has caused this major hazard, others have argued that the need for anticoagulants is not great enough to use them at all. A study published in 2012 concluded that the use of any anticoagulant significantly increases the patient’s risk of suffering from deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

Hungarian researchers conducted a seven-study meta-analysis to evaluate the safety of the current generation of anticoagulants in Europe and America. Warfarin was not included in this study. The group receiving the blood-thinning medications was compared to patients who received placebo pills in terms of how they coped with the drug. The scientists observed how the drugs Pradaxa, Xarelto and Eliquis performed in more than 31,000 patients admitted to hospitals between 2000 and 2011.

The study observed that while the blood thinners did do their job of preventing blood clots, a number of patients suffered from severe clotting after ceasing the medication. Additionally, starting any new medication in addition to the blood thinners or after the fact seemed to cause a dramatic rise in the probability of experiencing internal bleeding. Conclusively, the researchers found the risk of internal bleeding in patients was tripled after taking the anticoagulant.

Essentially, this study concluded that while the blood-thinners performed their functionality perfectly, they left the patients more vulnerable to blood clots after they stopped the medication. The study found that the patients were also likely to suffer blood clot injuries if they were taking another medication in conjunction with the blood thinner.

The study led the researchers to recommend that doctors only prescribe Xarelto and other blood thinners when absolutely necessary, and to carefully analyze a patient’s medical records before prescribing the drug to assure the type and dosage are safe.  

File a Xarelto Lawsuit Today

If you believe that you or a loved one have been the victim of a Xarelto internal bleeding incident, you have legal options. Please visit the Xarelto Side Effects (Bleeding, Blood Clots) Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. There, you can submit your claim for a free legal review and if it qualifies for legal action, a seasoned Xarelto lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation. You will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees. The pancreatic internal bleeding attorneys working this investigation do not get paid until you do.

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