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Atrial Fibrillation Overview
Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia (or irregular heart rhythm) that can cause the heart to beat abnormally quickly. This means that the heart’s upper and lower chambers do not work in sync, resulting in not enough blood being pumped to the lungs and to the rest of the body. This can cause dizziness or tiredness. You may even notice symptoms like heart palpitations or pain in your chest.
Atrial fibrillation can also cause excess blood to rest in your heart, which can increase your risk of a stroke or other serious complications.
Symptoms
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are a number of symptoms of atrial fibrillation, including:
- Heart palpitations
- Weakness
- Reduced ability to exercise
- Fatigue
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
Causes
Atrial fibrillation can occur because of a number of causes, generally because of changes to the heart’s tissue and electrical signals. These changes can occur because of aging, heart disease, infection, or genetics.
Treatment
For some individuals, atrial fibrillation will go away on its own without treatment. For others, however, atrial fibrillation will become a regular part of their lives, an ongoing problem with their heart that they will need to continue to monitor and treat. Treatment can involve medicines, medical procedures, and lifestyle changes to manage your atrial fibrillation symptom and prevent further complications. In some cases, there may be an underlying disorder that is either causing or raising the risk of atrial fibrillation, so your doctor may treat this underlying cause.
According to WebMD, one of the treatment options for atrial fibrillation is amiodarone, an anti-arrhythmia drug also known by the brand names Cordarone, Pacerone, and Nexterone.
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved amiodarone to be prescribed only as a last resort because of a number of severe complications linked with the medication, including lung disease/pulmonary toxicity, liver failure, blindness, and death.
Amiodarone Lawsuits
Some drugmakers have allegedly pushed doctors to prescribed amiodarone as a first-line drug rather than a last resort, and may even have promoted amiodarone as a method of treating conditions the FDA has not approved it to treat. (While doctors are allowed to prescribed medications for off-label uses, drug companies are not allowed to promote their drugs for uses the FDA has not approved.)
If you or someone you love has suffered from amiodarone side effects after taking the anti-arrhythmia drug, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot undo the pain and suffering caused by amiodarone side effects, nor can it bring a loved one back to life, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.
Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.
