Product liability lawyers are currently looking for potential plaintiffs to bring Eliquis lawsuits against the drug manufacturers Pfizer and Bristol Myers Squibb, for failing to warn the medical community and general public about serious side effects associated with taking Eliquis.

Studies have shown Eliquis can be linked to cases of serious uncontrollable bleeding.

What is Eliquis?

Eliquis, generically known as apixaban, is a popular blood thinning medication. Medical professionals prescribe the drug to reduce the risks of blood clotting, stroke, and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Eliquis in 2012, and it quickly gained popularity with consumers. Eliquis is taken orally, twice daily, and the dosage is usually adjusted according to a patient’s weight.

Eliquis is just one drug in a large class of anticoagulant medications. Other anticoagulants include the new-generation drugs Pradaxa and Xarelto, as well as the older warfarin (Coumadin).

Drug marketers promoted Eliquis as an alternative to warfarin because patients taking warfarin must follow a strict diet and undergo regular blood monitoring, neither of which are required for patients taking Eliquis.

Despite it’s ease of use, Eliquis has a major drawback — The medication has no antidote for uncontrolled bleeding.

When warfarin users experience the side effect of uncontrolled bleeding, doctors can administer a dose of vitamin k, sometimes mixed with fresh or frozen plasma. No similar antidote exists for the newer anticoagulants like Eliquis, Pradaxa and Xarelto.

While patients taking Eliquis may suffer from several different types of side effects, the most serious generally involve bleeding. Patients taking Eliquis may experience bleeding on the brain, intestinal bleeding, kidney bleeding, deep vein thrombosis, or uncontrolled bleeding.

Medical professionals suggest patients taking Eliquis visit a doctor immediately if they experience any of the following symptoms:

• easy or unusual bruising
• unusual bleeding
• heavy menstrual periods
• headache, dizziness, or weakness
• red, pink, or brown urine
• black or bloody stools
• coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds
• numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness (especially in the legs and feet)
• loss of movement in any part of the body

Overview of Eliquis Lawsuits

Eliquis lawsuits allege that the drug manufacturers violated consumer protection laws by aggressively marketing the drug without disclosing serious side effects associated with the medication.

Plaintiffs are filing Eliquis lawsuits across the nation and lawyers predict the number of Eliquis lawsuits will continue to rise. The manufactures of Pradaxa and Xarelto are currently facing thousands of consumer lawsuits for similar reasons.

Awards and settlements from these lawsuits will help victims pay both past and future medical bills, as well as compensate them for the pain and suffering they endured due to Eliquis side effects. Lawsuits like these also reprimand pharmaceutical companies and serve to remind drug manufacturers that they have a duty to disclose dangerous side effects and not pursue profits at the expense of consumer health.

Victims who have suffered damages from taking Eliquis and are interested in potentially taking legal action should seek the advice of an attorney.