Users of Pradaxa may face increased risks of internal and uncontrolled bleeding while taking the anticoagulant medication.

Several Pradaxa lawsuits have been filed against Boehringer Ingelheim, the pharmaceutical manufacturer of Pradaxa. These lawsuits allege that the pharmaceutical manufacturer failed to warn the general public about Pradaxa bleeding risks.

What is Pradaxa?

Pradaxa is a blood thinning medication on the market that is generically known as dabigatran.  The medication hit the market after it received FDA approval back in 2010.

Medical professionals often prescribe Pradaxa to prevent stroke and harmful blood clots in the legs and lungs of patients who have an irregular heartbeat, also known as atrial fibrillation.  The medication is also used to prevent clots from forming in patients who undergo knee or hip replacement surgery.

The active ingredient in Pradaxa, dabigatran, is a medication known as a direct thrombin inhibitor.  Thrombin is an enzyme in the blood plasma that is essential to blood clotting. Thrombin inhibitors like Pradaxa work by preventing the enzyme from functioning as it should in the body.

Pradaxa is a member of a new generation of blood thinning medications that are often advertised as superior to older blood thinners on the market. Older medications like Warfarin (also known as Coumadin) often require the patient to undergo strict blood monitoring and a restrictive diet.

According to advertising, Pradaxa and the other new blood thinning medications do not share these same requirements.

Pradaxa Bleeding Risk

Common blood thinner risks include internal bleeding and uncontrolled bleeding.  Specifically, the Pradaxa bleeding risk includes kidney bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhage, and death.

The Pradaxa bleeding risk is especially concerning because until recently Pradaxa did not have an FDA approved antidote for when uncontrolled bleeding occurred.

Until the antidote was approved, patients who experienced blood thinner risks like uncontrolled bleeding while taking Pradaxa had no FDA approved means of stopping the bleeding.  Patients taking Warfarin on the other hand did have an antidote.

Warfarin works by blocking the body’s ability to form Vitamin K which is necessary for blood clotting.  A patient who is taking Warfarin and beings to suffer from uncontrolled bleeding will often be given a dose of fresh or frozen plasma mixed with vitamin K.

This counteracts the anticoagulant nature of the drug and allows the blood to begin clotting once again.  Without an antidote, drugs like Pradaxa can lead to serious complications in patients.

Pradaxa Lawsuits

Thousands of state and federal lawsuits have been filed against Boehringer Ingelheim.  In May of 2014 the pharmaceutical manufacturer agreed to a $650 million settlement to end over 4,000 lawsuits.

The lawsuits against the company alleged that Pradaxa caused internal bleeding that could not be controlled and was at times fatal.  According to FDA, thousands of people have reported experiencing adverse side effects while taking Pradaxa.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a serious internal bleeding event while taking Pradaxa, you may be able to join a free lawsuit investigation.  The investigation will help determine if bringing a Pradaxa lawsuit is right for you.