Blood thinner drugs, or anticoagulants, are a common method of treating blood clotting. However, patients taking blood thinners, including the popular drug Pradaxa, should be aware of certain blood thinner safety problems. Knowing about these risks can help patients determine the right option for them, and also keep them aware of symptoms that may indicate a larger concern.

Background of Pradaxa

Pradaxa (also known by its generic name, dabigatran) is one of the most popular anticoagulant options. Pradaxa is manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals and is relatively new. Pradaxa was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just in 2010.

Millions of patients have already chosen to use Pradaxa after only a few years on the market. Because of the popularity and widespread use of the drug, it is essential that patients are aware of major blood thinner safety issues associated with the medication.

Pradaxa Blood Thinner Safety Problems

Any anticoagulant, or blood thinner, can cause excessive bruising and bleeding. This is to be expected of a drug that is intended to lessen clotting—and in most cases, it doesn’t become an issue, with patients sporting a few more bruises than had they not been taking the drug.

However, these issues can manifest in a much more serious form if a patient is involved in an accident or suffers from internal bleeding. In these cases, with the body unable to effectively form blood clots to stem the bleeding, they may bleed excessively to the point of serious problems or even death.

Even with these potential bleeding problems, anticoagulants generally come with an antidote to reverse the effects. The anticoagulant warfarin, the leading option for decades, and many other anticoagulants have available antidotes. While Pradaxa has an antidote now, there was a period of time after its release onto the market when it lacked such an antidote, placing patients at serious risk.

Pradaxa Side Effects

The most severe of reported Pradaxa side effects includes heart attacks, liver failure, uncontrollable bleeding, and even death. The most common of these complications is excessive bleeding, which in turn can lead to brain hemorrhaging or death.

The danger posed by these blood thinner safety problems is significant: hundreds of Pradaxa bleeding problems have resulted in fatalities.

Filing a Lawsuit over Pradaxa Blood Thinner Safety Problems

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals has already been hit with thousands of lawsuits for inadequate blood thinner safety warnings. These lawsuits allege that the blood thinner’s manufacturer failed to adequately warn the public, as well as the medical community as a whole, about the potential blood thinner safety problems linked with their drug.

If you or someone you love has taken Pradaxa and has subsequently experienced any of the above symptoms, such as excessive bleeding or brain hemorrhaging, you may have cause for filing a Pradaxa blood thinner safety lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by Pradaxa bleeding problems, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses and lost wages.