Numerous Tasigna side effects have been linked to this leukemia medication, including atherosclerosis, circulatory issues, heart attack, stroke, and death.

There have been several studies linking the popular cancer medication, prescribed for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, to these side effects that can cause even more complications.

For example, with the development of atherosclerosis, or the clogging, narrowing, and hardening of the arteries, an individual may further develop peripheral arterial disease, the circulatory condition that causes reduced blood flow to the limbs because of narrowed blood vessels. Loss of blood flow to the limbs can result in a need for amputation.

Some Tasigna side effects reported by patients have included:

•Amputation
• Death
• Infection
• Heart Attack
• Stroke
• Embolic occlusion
• Coronary artery disease
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Circulatory issues of arms, heart, legs, or brain
• Atherosclerosis

Accusations being alleged against Tasigna’s manufacturers include failure to warn doctors and patients of adverse side effects and complications linked to the medication. Many physicians and patients in the United States state that they were never warned of these side effects and relied on the drug’s labels for accurate drug warnings and representations. However, some patients say they were exposed to severe injuries and even fatal complications after taking the drug.

Tasigna Side Effects

Tasigna (nilotinib) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2007. It is prescribed to inhibit the growth of cancer cells and for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia, a cancer that begins in the bone marrow.

Patients allege Tasigna’s approval by the FDA did not include an adequate warning label concerning the risk of development of atherosclerosis among other serious adverse effects and complications. In fact, although it was approved with a “Black Box” warning label for other related Tasigna side effects, atherosclerosis and other related complications were not included for years. Black box warning labels are the strictest warning labels required by the FDA.

According to the Mayo Clinic, atherosclerosis occurs when the blood vessels thicken and stiffen up, limiting oxygen and nutrients from being carried to your heart from the body’s lower extremities. In comparison to healthy arteries that are elastic and flexible, a person with atherosclerosis suffers from hardened arteries. Resulting from an atherosclerosis condition is PAD, also known as peripheral arterial disease.

Symptoms of PAD can include pain, tiredness, and cramping in the hip and leg muscles while walking or climbing stairs. Although these symptoms fade away with rest they can typically creep up again with activity. Reports indicate that the adverse effects that come from atherosclerosis are severe and irreversible.

Studies Supporting Tasigna Atherosclerosis Link

Several studies linking Tasigna to atherosclerosis have been published in well-known medical journals in Europe, Canada, and the United States.

One study published in 2011 discovered that 25 percent of patients prescribed Tasigna suffered from vascular side effects, in addition to 16 percent of patients that developed PAD.

Two years later, the FDA issued a postmarket review from a published study that also considered adverse event reports it received from Canada, Europe, and the U.S. The FDA stated that the outcomes, “strongly suggest an association between nilotinib (Tasigna) and PAOD (peripheral arterial occlusive disease).”