Since its release in 2010, the blood thinner Pradaxa has been the subject of thousands of product liability claims from patients alleging they suffered potentially fatal internal bleeding complications.

The blood thinner Pradaxa was the first drug to be approved for anticoagulant treatment since warfarin in the 1950s and was considered an important development in the medical community. In contrast to warfarin, the blood thinner Pradaxa could be prescribed in a single convenient dose that did not require frequent doctor visits.

However, Pradaxa lacked a key feature warfarin had, which was a reversal agent in case of internal bleeding incidents. While Pradaxa now has an approved bleeding antidote available, Praxbind was not available until 2015.

Pradaxa and other blood thinners work by inhibiting the body’s clotting mechanism, which increases the efficiency in blood flow. However, this also prevents the body from recovering from simple internal bleeding incidents that can become potentially fatal.

The blood thinner Pradaxa has become widely associated with numerous internal bleeding complications over the years, mostly involving gastrointestinal bleeding. According to research, scientists have found alarming statistics surrounding Pradaxa bleeding incidents including:

• 16.6 percent of patients may inexperience Pradaxa internal bleeding
• 3.3 percent of patients may experience serious Pradaxa internal bleeding
• 1.5 percent of patients may experience life-threatening Pradaxa bleeding
• 0.3 percent of patients may experience Pradaxa brain hemorrhage

Research also found that elderly patients with kidney problems may face a greater risk of Pradaxa bleeding complications because the drug is processed through the kidneys. If the kidneys are unable to process the medication, it could cause abnormally high circulation levels.

The risk may also be higher in patients taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs or other blood thinners.

Overview of Problems with Blood Thinner Pradaxa

Injury reports regarding the blood thinner Pradaxa were submitted almost as soon as the drug was released onto the market, with the FDA receiving 307 injury reports within the first three months.

These injury reports reportedly described incidents of gastrointestinal bleeding, hemorrhage, and stroke, according to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP). The FDA had issued a warning regarding the blood thinner Pradaxa in December 2011, which states that patients may be at risk for uncontrollable bleeding.

While the agency acknowledged that every anticoagulant carried a bleeding risk, the FDA stated it was determining whether or not the blood thinner Pradaxa was unreasonably unsafe to consumers.

Patients who are prescribed the blood thinner Pradaxa should be wary of the following symptoms for internal bleeding:

• Unusual Bruising or Bleeding
• Pink or Brown Urine
• Red or Black Tarry Stool
• Coughing up Blood
• Headaches
• Lethargy
• Bleeding Gums
• Frequent Nose Bleeds
• Weakness or Swelling in Arms, Hands, Feet, Ankles, or Lower Legs

Patients who experience these symptoms should seek medical treatment immediately, as Pradaxa bleeding events can be potentially fatal. There have already been thousands of patients who have reportedly suffered Pradaxa bleeding complications, and have filed legal action against Boehringer Ingelheim.

Patients who were prescribed the blood thinner Pradaxa and experienced these problems can file legal action to seek potential compensation for any damages they suffered.