A recent study found that patients taking Pradaxa may reduce their risk for gastrointestinal bleeding by taking gastroprotective agents at the same time.

Using the medical records of more than 5,000 patients, researchers discovered that individuals taking either proton pump inhibitors or histamine type-2-receptor antagonists, in addition to Pradaxa, lowered their Pradaxa bleeding risk by 48 percent. However, the lowered risk only applied to upper gastrointestinal bleeds.

The Pradaxa study also found that patients taking Pradaxa had an overall 2.5 percent increased risk of developing gastrointestinal bleeding; while patients over the age of 75 years had an even greater risk.

Researchers concluded that Pradaxa patients should take gastroprotective agents at the same time, especially if they are considered to be at a high risk for bleeding events.

Pradaxa Complications

Manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals introduced Pradaxa to the U.S. market in 2010, making it the first new blood thinner in more than 50 years.

The anticoagulant was advertised as being just as effective as the traditional blood thinner Warfarin (Coumadin) while being easier to use since it carries no dietary restrictions nor does it require regular blood testing.

The new anticoagulant was “fast tracked” through the FDA approval process, meaning there was only one clinical trial before it was released.

Pradaxa quickly became commonly prescribed to treat blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) and lungs (pulmonary embolism) with more than 10 million prescriptions filled so far.

However, it didn’t take long before consumers began to report serious Pradaxa internal bleeding complications. In just a few years, Pradaxa has been named in thousands of near fatal bleeding episodes and hundreds of deaths.

Patients who have experienced Pradaxa bleeding claim that they were unaware that a Pradaxa antidote does not exists. In order to get Pradaxa internal bleeding under control, patients must suffer through multiple blood transfusions as the only way to stop it is to get the medication out of the system.

Pradaxa internal bleeding symptoms include:

• Unusual bruising
• Black or red stools that look like tar
• Coughing up blood
• Vomit that looks like coffee grounds
• Pink or brown urine
• Feeling dizzy or weak
• Unexpected swelling or joint pain

Since its release, Pradaxa has been subject of debate about whether patients should have been advised to undergo regular blood testing. Some physicians believe that testing patients would have helped them determine who has an increased Pradaxa bleeding risk.

Pradaxa Internal Bleeding Lawsuit

More than 4,000 Pradaxa lawsuits have settled for a collective $650 million to date. In general, a Pradaxa lawsuit alleges that manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals knew of the increased risk of internal bleeding but concealed the information from patients and the medical community.

Pradaxa lawsuits also claim that patients were not fully warned that should internal bleeding occur there would be no reversal agent to get it under control.

If you experienced severe Pradaxa side effects, contact a Pradaxa attorney to find out if you should file a lawsuit as an individual or if it would be better for you to join a Pradaxa class action lawsuit. Families who lost a loved one due to Pradaxa complications may also be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit.