Pradaxa, also known as dabigatran, is a new once a day blood thinner approved to prevent blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation.

However, users of the blood thinner have experienced serious health problems including life-threatening Pradaxa uncontrollable bleeding injuries.

What is Pradaxa?

Pradaxa was developed by Boehringer Ingelheim to reduce the risk of stroke and blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem.

Anticoagulants reduce blood clotting, which is why they are more commonly called blood thinners.

Anticoagulants like Pradaxa are most commonly used in patients with atrial fibrillation, or an irregular heartbeat.

This is because atrial fibrillation increases the risk of stroke, which is many times higher in patients with an irregular heartbeat.

With atrial fibrillation, part of the heart does not beat the way it should. This can cause blood clots to form, increasing the risk of a stroke.

Pradaxa is designed to lower the chance of blood clots forming and is prescribed to replace other anticoagulants (like Warfarin (Coumadin), which is what’s predominantly used in the United States to treat blood clots.

Pradaxa Side Effects

There are also a number of side effects from taking Pradaxa, some of which are minor while others more troubling.

These commonly reported Pradaxa side effects include stomach pain, nausea, indigestion, and heartburn.

However, the blood thinning medication has also been linked to more serious and life-threatening complications such as:

• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Chest pain
• Loss of consciousness
• Heart attack
• Liver failure
• Cerebral hemorrhage or brain bleeding

FDA Receives Reports of Pradaxa Uncontrollable Bleeding Injuries

Between its FDA approval on October 2010 and March 2011, the agency received 932 reports of serious Pradaxa uncontrollable bleeding injuries, including 120 deaths.

By 2012 reports of fatalities, Pradaxa uncontrollable bleeding injuries and hemorrhaging were reported with over 500 deaths attributed to Pradaxa.

Health regulators in Australia, Japan and Europe have also issued advisory warning about possible Pradaxa uncontrollable bleeding injuries.

In fact, in September 2012, researchers at the University of Pécs in Hungary warned that patients taking Pradaxa were three times as likely to have an adverse reaction of excessive bleeding.

Pradaxa Lawsuits

In recent years, thousands of bleeding victims and their loved ones filed Pradaxa lawsuits. Due to the number of claims filed, cases were consolidated to a special federal multidistrict Litigation court in Illinois.

In May of 2014, Boehringer Ingelheim agreed to pay $650 million to settle these lawsuits.

While, the situation has changed significantly since the recent FDA approval of an antidote for Pradaxa, known as Praxbind, the release of the Pradaxa antidote comes too late for many patients who suffered Pradaxa uncontrollable bleeding injuries or died as a result.

If you or a loved one has suffered from Pradaxa uncontrollable bleeding injuries because of this drug, you may have legal options.

To determine whether you or a loved one may be entitled to financial compensation through any future Pradaxa settlement negotiations, request a free consultation and no obligation case evaluation with an experienced Pradaxa attorney.