Pradaxa (dabigatran) is an oral medication used to prevent blood clots.

Manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals and FDA approved in 2010, Pradaxa soon became a commonly prescribed medication for reducing the risk of stroke. And it continues to be despite numerous reports that is can cause irreversible internal bleeding.

Pradaxa is one of several new generation anticoagulants to hit the market in recent years. Before Pradaxa and related medications Xarelto and Eliquis, warfarin (Coumadin) was the go-to drug to thin blood and reduce stroke risk.

While warfarin is very effective in its performance as an anticoagulant, it does have drawbacks. Warfarin requires frequent monitoring of patients with blood tests and doctor visits as well as diet restrictions.

Pradaxa eliminated the need for frequent monitoring and had no diet restrictions. For physicians and patients alike, Xarelto seemed to be a positive step in reducing the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Like its predecessor warfarin, Pradaxa’s most serious potential side effect is the risk of internal bleeding. The body’s response to bleeding under normal circumstances is to form clots to stop the bleeding.

As Pradaxa thins the blood by inhibiting clotting, the body’s normal response to bleeding no longer works. This can lead to severe and prolonged bleeding which can become serious and sometimes fatal.

However, Pradaxa, unlike warfarin, does not have a reversal agent to stop bleeding. With warfarin-induced bleeding, doctors could halt the bleeding by using fresh frozen plasma and vitamin K as an antidote.

Without a Pradaxa antidote, the best that doctors can do is to have the patient stop taking the medication and try to wait for the body’s elimination of the drug, which can take up to 24 hours.

Contraindications of Pradaxa Use

Those who have an artificial heart valve, active bleeding from an injury or surgery should not use this medication. Additionally, Pradaxa should not be used by those who will undergo a spinal tap,  receive spinal anesthesia, have genetic spinal defects, a spinal catheter, a history of spinal surgery or repeated spinal taps, or are taking other medications that can affect blood clotting. \

Pradaxa may cause a blood clot around the spinal cord, and this kind of blood clot can lead to long-term or even permanent paralysis.

Pradaxa Internal Bleeding Lawsuit Information

Pradaxa bleeding victims allege that Boehringer Ingelheim did not do enough to warn about the risk of taking the drug.

Thousands of Pradaxa lawsuits have been filed and many have been consolidated to a multidistrict litigation (MDL). All lawsuits in the MDL take place under a single judge at one court location. This assists in speeding up the legal process and allows more consistency of rulings across cases.

If you or a loved one has suffered severe internal bleeding or other serious side effects from Pradaxa, you may be able to file a Pradaxa bleeding lawsuit. A Pradaxa lawyer can assist you by providing guidance on your legal options in a free, confidential consultation.