Pradaxa bleeding complications are still a prominent concern in the patient population and medical community, even though there is now a bleeding antidote available and the alleged risks of new generation anticoagulants is fairly well known.

Boehringer Ingelheim still faces Pradaxa bleeding lawsuits, filed by patients alleging the company failed to warn them and that the drug was unreasonably safe for consumer consumption.

By 2012, two years after Pradaxa was approved and the year Eliquis was released, 500 deaths had been linked to Pradaxa bleeding complications.

Critics of the medication allege the drug was not thoroughly tested enough, and should not have been released before a bleeding antidote had been available.

Before Pradaxa was released in 2010, warfarin had been the only medication on the market for blood thinning purposes with patients having the option of implementing vitamin K to resolve internal bleeding problems.

Patients who experience Pradaxa bleeding complications have to receive emergency intervention to receive Praxbind, the Pradaxa reversal agent, or face possible fatality.

Even with risks associated with Pradaxa and having such a short time of the market, the medication has made $1 billion for Boehringer Ingelheim.

At the time of Pradaxa’s release, the medical community buzzed with excitement due to it being the first anticoagulant released into the United States since the 1950s.

Overview of Pradaxa Bleeding Complications

Pradaxa and other anticoagulants work by inhibiting the body’s clotting mechanism, which increases blood flow and improves circulation. However, this also prevents the body from recovering from simple internal bleeding injuries, which can quickly turn deadly.

It is important to note that by 2011, 542 deaths were reported in conjunction with Pradaxa bleeding complications, and Pradaxa was linked to more drug related deaths and injuries that year in comparison to 800 other medications.

According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a number of patients who experienced Pradaxa bleeding complications complained that there was no reversal agent at the time they were prescribed the drug.

Even though warfarin came with a bleeding antidote, Pradaxa and other new generation anticoagulants could be prescribed in a single dose. According to injury reports, symptoms of Pradaxa internal bleeding complications include:

• Unusual bruising or bleeding
• Pink or brown urine
• Red or black tarry stool
• Coughing up blood
• Headaches, dizziness or lethargy
• Bleeding of the gums or frequent nose bleeds
• Weakness and swelling in arms, hands, feet, ankles or lower legs

Gastrointestinal bleeding is often associated with Pradaxa injuries, with patients needing emergency medical treatment to prevent death.

Even though these are potentially deadly problems for patients, Boehringer Ingelheim allegedly failed to warn against these problems. Patients who allegedly suffered Pradaxa bleeding complications may be able to file legal action and should contact a specialized lawyer to determine eligibility.