While Pradaxa is one of the most popular blood thinners available, today, it has unfortunately been linked with a number of serious complications. Problems with Pradaxa reportedly include severe internal bleeding and other side effects.

If you or someone you love has suffered from internal bleeding or other problems with Pradaxa, you may be able to pursue litigation.

Basics of Pradaxa Blood Thinner

Pradaxa (also known by its generic name, dabigatran) is an anticoagulant medication (blood thinner) manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. Blood thinners like Pradaxa are a common treatment for blood clotting, a condition that can cause serious injuries or fatal complications.

Pradaxa was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) back in 2010. Though less than a decade old, Pradaxa has quickly become an extremely popular blood thinner. It was advertised as superior to Coumadin (warfarin), the longtime standard blood thinner.

However, Pradaxa has been linked with some serious complications. Indeed, only three months after it was first brought onto the market, hundreds of reports had already been filed over problems with Pradaxa including internal bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, and other serious complications. Within just one year, there were at least 260 reported deaths allegedly caused by Pradaxa bleeding, hemorrhage, and stroke.

Because of the reports of major problems with Pradaxa, the FDA issued a warning in December 2011 about these bleeding risks.

Problems with Pradaxa

The function of an anticoagulant is to lessen blood clotting, and an unavoidable side effect of this is a tendency to bruise more easily. In general, this doesn’t become too much of an issue; patients may simply notice more bruises than usual. However, a patient may in some cases bleed excessively to the point of severe complications like brain hemorrhaging, heart attack, stroke, or even death.

Anticoagulants generally come with an antidote to reverse the natural bleeding effects. Warfarin, the main anticoagulant for decades, and many other anticoagulants have available antidotes. While Pradaxa now has an antidote available to counteract its side effects, there was a period of time when no antidote was available—and it may have come too late for some patients.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Problems with Pradaxa

Dozens of lawsuits have been filed over problems with Pradaxa, alleging that Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals misled consumers as to the safety of the drug, and indeed actively concealed its risks.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals has been hit with a slew of lawsuits, alleging that the anticoagulant’s manufacturer failed to adequately warn the public, as well as the medical community as a whole, about the potentially life-threatening problems with Pradaxa.

If you or someone you love has taken Pradaxa and has since suffered complications, such as excessive bleeding or brain hemorrhaging, you may be able to file a Pradaxa lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by excessive problems with Pradaxa, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses and lost wages.