For decades, patients in need of an oral blood thinner medication only really had one viable option, warfarin (Coumadin), to address their needs. This medication was developed in the 1950s and was the standard of care for 60 years, until Pradaxa.

While warfarin was effective, it also came with some downsides. Patients needed to follow certain dietary restrictions to prevent any complications with the medication. They also had to visit their physician often to get blood tests and monitoring to ensure that the dosage they were getting was safe and effective.

When Pradaxa hit the market in 2010, it seemed to be the solution to the issues that warfarin presented, all packaged neatly in a pill that didn’t require dietary restrictions or close monitoring. Shortly after its release, Pradaxa became one of the best-selling drugs on the market.

Blood Thinner Medication Uses

Anticoagulant blood thinner medications like warfarin and Pradaxa are used to reduce the occurrence of blood clots. Blood thinners help to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by inhibiting the normal clotting mechanism in the blood.

In addition to its generic preventative uses in individuals who are at risk, a blood thinner medication like Pradaxa is also used for other conditions. Blood thinners are used to treat an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation. They are also used on patients who have had heart valve surgery and are used for those who have congenital heart defects.

Pradaxa Side Effects

While Pradaxa quickly became a popular drug, severe side effects also surfaced rather quickly. Many Pradaxa side effects are common and mild and may subside with treatment. These may include bruising, nausea, upset stomach, diarrhea, itching and minor bleeding.

The most severe Pradaxa side effects commonly reported are associated with internal bleeding. Because Pradaxa inhibits the body’s natural clotting mechanism, when the body does need to form a clot to control a bleed, it is unable to do so.

A person taking Pradaxa or another anticoagulant is at a greater risk of experiencing internal bleeding in various locations of the body. Two common locations include the gastrointestinal tract and the brain, though the bleeding could occur at other locations as well.

Internal bleeding symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract include weakness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, decreased blood pressure, vomiting blood or a substance that looks like coffee grounds, blood in the stool, blood in the urine or black tarry stools. Bleeding in the brain may cause slurred speech, confusion, loss of vision and other neurological deficits.

Internal bleeding that is not properly controlled can cause brain damage, stroke-like symptoms, coma, reduced oxygen in the body leading to shock and ultimately can lead to death.

Treatment for Internal Bleeding

With warfarin, the treatment for internal bleeding was well-established and effective. Fresh frozen plasma and intravenous vitamin K used as a reversal agent were able to swiftly control the bleeding and stabilize the patient.

With Pradaxa, until just recently, there was no antidote to stop the bleeding, so patients had an increased risk of bleeding complications and death. Praxbind is the new Pradaxa antidote that was developed toward the end of 2015 and has promise to help those who experience bleeding side effects from the drug.

Pradaxa Lawsuit Information

Because Pradaxa was on the market for five years without an antidote, a number of individuals suffered from life-altering consequences from Pradaxa bleeding events. Many of those individuals went on to sue Boehringer Ingelheim, manufacturer of Pradaxa, claiming the drug was unsafe.

If you or a loved one suffered severe bleeding as a result of Pradaxa side effects, you may be entitled to legal compensation. An experienced Pradaxa attorney can review your case for free and can advise you on your legal options.