A Xarelto lawsuit filed by a Tennessee resident has joined the larger body of litigation over allegations that the blood thinner Xarelto causes uncontrollable internal bleeding.

This Xarelto lawsuit was filed by plaintiff Mattie H. who used Xarelto, allegedly in accordance with the prescribing information included with the medication. However, despite this, Mattie reportedly developed uncontrollable bleeding. Mattie seeks to recoup the costs of medical care, lost wages, lost income potential, and other costs allegedly stemming from Xarelto bleeding. Since she seeks to recoup more than $75,000 from the makers of Xarelto, the Xarelto bleeding lawsuit was filed directly in a Tennessee District Court.

What is Xarelto?

Xarelto is a type of drug called a blood thinner or anticoagulant. Blood thinners like Xarelto interfere with the clotting process, making it harder for the body to form blood clots. Humans need blood clots to stop bleeding when they are injured, but this process can misfire, and blood clots can form inside the circulatory system. This can cause serious medical problems, as blood clots can block the supply of blood to vital organs like the brain, blood, and heart. In patients with risk factors for dangerous blood clots, blood thinners like Xarelto can reduce their chances of suffering a stroke or heart attack. However, all blood thinners carry the risk of working too well.

Xarelto Bleeding

When a blood thinners like Xarelto works too well, a patient can suffer uncontrollable Xarelto bleeding. In this situation, a person can bleed to death from a very minor injury, including nearly-microscopic internal injuries. But with older blood thinners like Warfarin, doctors can reverse the effects of the blood thinner if the patient suffers uncontrollable bleeding with a second drug called a reversal agent.

However, newer-generation blood thinners like Xarelto do not have known reversal agents. This means that if a patient taking Xarelto suffers uncontrollable bleeding, doctors have relatively few options. Often, doctors have to perform massive transfusions to keep a patient alive through the medical crisis. Even then, uncontrollable bleeding is a medical emergency in any patient, and possibly even more dangerous on Xarelto. Xarelto lawsuits like this one have been filed, alleging that drug makers have not done enough to protect the public from the risk of Xarelto bleeding.

The Xarelto Lawsuit is Case No. 2166, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.