With all the recent news about opioid addiction, the American public likely thinks that opioids are the most dangerous drugs. However, the report from the Institute for Safe Medicine Practices (ISMP) recently released shows that blood thinners are among some of the more dangerous drugs.

According to the report, anticoagulant medications are most likely to send patients to the hospital when compared with all other prescription drugs. A warfarin, Eliquis, Xarelto or Pradaxa bleeding risk from these commonly used blood thinning medications is the most likely to lead to complications requiring an emergency room visit.

The ISMP analyzed CDC data and found that nearly 22,000 severe injuries were reported by patients and healthcare workers in 2016 related to blood thinner use. Of those reports, more than 3,000 deaths were reported as associated with anticoagulant use. Almost half of the severe injury reports required that patients have a hospital stay to treat their injuries.

These adverse event reports are voluntary, and it is assumed that the actual number of injuries caused by blood thinners annually is actually much higher than reported. In fact, another study by the CDC estimates that the actual number of people harmed yearly by anticoagulant medications could be as much as 10 times higher than what the voluntary reports indicate.

If the CDC study is indeed the case, nearly a quarter of a million individuals may be affected by adverse anticoagulant side effects each year.

Pradaxa Bleeding Risk and Complications

Pradaxa and other blood thinner medications work by preventing the body from forming clots that can cause serious medical issues such as strokes, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Certain individuals are genetically predisposed to having clotting issues, and others may be prone to clots after major surgery such as knee or hip replacement.

While blood thinners can be life-saving in some instances, in other instances the body needs to be able to clot to stop bleeding. The body naturally responds by making clots in order to stop bleeding; without proper clot formation, an individual can bleed out and die as a result.

Warfarin, the oldest anticoagulant drug, has antidotes to reverse its anticoagulant effects. Fresh frozen plasma or vitamin K can be administered to restore the body’s natural clotting mechanisms and stop the anti-clotting mechanisms of the drug.

Three new drugs, however–Pradaxa, Eliquis and Xarelto–were all released without having an effective antidote. Pradaxa bleeding risk was especially high for patients who took the drug from the time it was released in 2010 to 2015 when an antidote was finally developed. Eliquis and Xarelto still lack an antidote, and a Pradaxa bleeding risk still is present for those who do not have enough time to make it to the hospital to receive the Pradaxa antidote.

Did you Suffer Complications Related to Pradaxa Bleeding Risk?

If you or a loved one suffered from severe bleeding related to Pradaxa, you may be eligible to seek legal compensation for your injuries. Pradaxa bleeding risk has led to gastrointestinal bleeding complications as well as brain hemorrhaging.

In fact, the makers of Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim, reached a $650 million lawsuit settlement in 2014 to resolve claims that were pending at the time over Pradaxa bleeding risk complications and injuries. The drug maker, however, did not admit fault in the settlement and maintains that its drug is safe.

An attorney experienced with Pradaxa bleeding risk cases can review your unique situation with you in a free consultation to help you decide if you are eligible to file a lawsuit against the product’s manufacturer.